NHAI to use solid waste from Ghazipur in Delhi-Meerut expressway

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to utilise the solid waste from Ghazipur in construction of Delhi-Meerut Expressway to curb pollution.

NHAI is already utilising fly-ash up to 30% of earth filling in the eastern peripheral expressway and using other slag materials elsewhere.

"NHAI plans utilisation of this Solid Waste Material for its highway construction programme on NH-24, Meerut expressway," it said in a statement.

This will be in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directions for use of waste in a productive way.

To allay doubts of concessionaires and to encourage them to utilise this waste, NHAI has offered to indemnify Concessionaires for stretches where this waste material shall be tried, the statement said.

Also, the NHAI will write to the Ministry of Environment and Forest to allow usage of solid waste material in lieu of fly-ash wherever feasible, it said.

This initiative of NHAI will promote the construction of green highways in the country as it amounts to substantial replacement of natural earth, mining of which causes environmental problems.

The Authority had entrusted an assignment of technically verifying whether Solid Waste Material generated from Municipaliity waste can be utilised for highway construction to Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).

"CRRI conducted a study by collecting 70 tonnes of municipal solid waste from different locations of 5/10/15 years old from Ghazipur land fill site of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and have recommended the municipal solid waste contains about 65 to 70% of soil components which can be used in embankment construction after segregation from the municipal solid waste," the statement said.

It said a methodology suggested for use is by drying the collected municipal solid waste and passing through different sieves.

"The percentage passing from the 16 mm sieve contains 44-48% of municipal solid waste which can be directly used in embankment construction. For utilising the municipal solid waste passing through 32 mm sieve, the segregation of plastic material and Poly Vinyl Chloride etc, will have to be blown by using high capacity blowers at the segregation plant," the statement said.

Director CRRI had earlier presented the report and findings to Chairman NHAI Raghav Chandra.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (East) had earlier approached NHAI to make use of waste at Ghazipur Landfill site, whereupon Chairman NHAI had commissioned analytical study through CRRI.