Road, Transport and Highways Minister Mr Nitin Gadkari has said that India has become the first country in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen in road construction. Bitumen is a black, viscous mixture of hydrocarbons produced by the fractionation of crude oil, and it serves as a crucial binder in road construction.

While addressing the CSIR Technology Transfer Ceremony “Bio-Bitumen via Pyrolysis: From Farm Residue to Roads”, in New Delhi, the Minister congratulated CSIR on this historic milestone. Mr Gadkari said that the initiative will help in reducing pollution from crop residue burning. The Minister said that bio-bitumen is a transformative step towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The technology has been developed jointly by two research laboratories under CSIR, the Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi and the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun.

The shift to indigenous bio-bitumen holds economic potential of replacing imported bitumen worth ?25,000–30,000 crore annually.

Speaking on this occasion, Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that by achieving this milestone, India has entered into a new era of clean and green highways. He said that the initiative will also aid the Waste to Wealth mission and support the country’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

"This day will go down in the history as India enters into an era of 'Clean, Green Highways', with the successful Technology Transfer titled an indigenous innovation developed by two CSIR laboratories,” Dr Singh said.

This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and Vice-President, CSIR, Dr Jitendra Singh, while addressing the Technology Transfer ceremony titled “Bio-Bitumen via Pyrolysis: From Farm Residue to Roads”.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the day would be remembered as a historic milestone, stating that India’s highways are now transitioning from fossil-fuel dependency to bio-driven, regenerative, and circular economy solutions. The roads constructed using this technology will involve lesser budget, have a more sustainable lifespan, and will also be free from the hazard of causing environmental pollution.

India is now commercially producing bio-bitumen for use as an alternative to traditional asphalt in the construction of roadways. By utilizing agricultural waste and organic waste products, the bio-bitumen has been developed from materials that were previously discarded. This initiative supports India’s commitment to increasing the use of sustainable building materials and creating a circular economic model that will eliminate reliance on fossil fuels while reducing carbon emissions related to road construction.

Studies indicate that bio-bitumen had achieved successful evaluations concerning its performance and durability; consequently, bio-bitumen will now be used in the construction of roads.

It is anticipated that this innovation will result in increased cost-effectiveness, enhanced environmental conditions, and the ability to value-add to agricultural waste streams. As such, the introduction of bio-bitumen supports numerous national programs associated with Green Infrastructure, Waste to Wealth initiatives, and Sustainable Mobility.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the day would be remembered as a historic milestone, stating that India’s highways are now transitioning from fossil-fuel dependency to bio-driven, regenerative, and circular economy solutions.