The Road to Safety and Sustainability

12 Aug 2021 CW Team

In the CW July cover story, we mentioned the increasing focus of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on promoting the use of alternative materials to cement and steel in the construction of roads. A recent development in this context is the Green National Highways Corridor Project, which essentially involves the construction of highways using local materials, industrial and mining waste, recycled bituminous and granular layers and plastic waste materials, with the aim to conserve energy and natural resources and reduce the country’s carbon footprint.

As for construction techniques, green highways will necessitate bio-engineering solutions, water conservation and harvesting techniques, climate resilience techniques, solar lighting, and so on, observes Vishwas Jain, Managing Director, Consulting Engineers Group. On the equipment front, green highway projects will need recyclers, milling machines and stabilisers (the stabilisation of soils reduces the need for crushed stone).

Click here to know more…

Building Material

15 Oct 2025

Centre Plans Easier Green Clearances for New Airports

The central government is preparing to streamline environmental clearance procedures for airport projects to accelerate infrastructure development across the country. According to officials, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is working with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to establish a single-window mechanism for faster approval of greenfield and brownfield airports. The proposal seeks to reduce the time required for obtaining environmental clearance by simplifying inter-ministerial coordination and standardising assessment parameters. The move is part of ..

Beer Makers Urge Import Relaxation Amid Aluminium Can Shortage

India’s domestic beer manufacturers have urged the government to relax import rules and cut duties on aluminium cans as the industry faces a severe shortage of packaging material. The shortage, driven by rising demand and limited local supply, has disrupted production schedules for several breweries. Industry representatives have written to the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance, seeking temporary relief through faster import approvals and reduced customs duties. They warn that the situation could impact the availability of beer across key markets during the festive season. A..

India Surpasses Japan as World’s Third-Largest Auto Market

India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s third-largest automobile market, marking a major milestone for the country’s manufacturing and mobility sector. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, credited the achievement to India’s growing production capacity, rising domestic demand, and sustained policy support for localisation and innovation. The country’s vehicle sales and manufacturing output have surged in recent years, positioning it just behind China and the United States. According to industry estimates, India’s automobile sector supports over 3..