- Why in news
- On 12 September 2026, Dr Jitendra Singh received the Guinness World Record for the longest road built with processed steel slag aggregates (1.85 km, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh). He urged wider adoption across States and departments.
- What it is
- Steel slag road technology turns processed steel slag, a by-product of steelmaking, into aggregates for road layers. CSIR-CRRI developed it with industry partners. It replaces part of the natural stone aggregate that comes from mining and quarrying, and fits the waste-to-wealth and circular economy approach.
- Record road
- The Guinness record road is 1.85 km long at Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, built by CSIR-CRRI and Jindal Steel.
- Earlier uses
- Earlier uses include a six-lane road at Hazira, Gujarat, a one-km four-lane stretch of NH-66 (Mumbai-Goa), and roads in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Next project
- CSIR-CRRI has a work order for a 40-km road in Odisha from Jindal Steel's Angul plant.
- Technology transfer
- A Technology Transfer Agreement was signed between CSIR-CRRI and Jindal Steel, and the 'Steel Grit' brand was launched.
Don’t confuse with Steel slag vs fly ash: Steel slag comes from steelmaking. Fly ash is a residue from coal-fired power plants. Both are used in construction, but they are different wastes.
Don’t confuse with CSIR-CRRI vs MoRTH: CSIR-CRRI is a research lab under CSIR, which is under DSIR. MoRTH is the road ministry that builds and regulates highways.
Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- Uses an industrial by-product and reduces pressure on mined natural aggregates, supporting the circular economy.
- Longer durability and lower cost can help roads in high-rainfall and difficult terrain such as the Northeast.
Problems
- The cost, strength and durability figures are claims made at the event; they need independent long-term field validation.
- Adoption needs awareness among engineers and agencies, and processing and quality control, in several departments and States.
Way forward
- Spread awareness through inter-ministerial and inter-State programmes, and build the technology into road standards.
- Bring more steel companies into partnerships with scientific institutions.
Put in your answer
Waste to Wealth example: Steel slag roads show industrial waste turned into infrastructure material, with CSIR-CRRI and industry working together.
- 2026Mains GS3 · Q17Challenges to solid waste management in India and policy framework discussed
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q17Why mining is an environmental hazard and remedial measures required
- 2024Prelims Q46Which waste-derived materials such as agricultural residues and sludge can be used
- 2025Prelims Q50Activated carbon synthesized from environmental wastes; pollutant and heavy metal adsorption
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting waste-recycling road technology by CSIR-CRRI, a syllabus topic; claims are ministerial and facts are limited, so a question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.