Convener News Desk
New Delhi, Jan 25: In a major boost to sustainable infrastructure and the circular economy, the CSIR–Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and JSW Steel Limited, Salem Works have partnered to construct roads using steel slag in Tamil Nadu. The strategic collaboration, formalised on Sunday, seeks to utilise steel slag—an industrial by-product—as a durable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional road construction materials.
An official spokesperson said the initiative aligns with the Government of India’s “From Waste to Wealth” vision and national policies on resource efficiency, carbon footprint reduction and adoption of green technologies in public infrastructure. Under the partnership, steel slag generated at JSW Steel’s Salem Works will be scientifically processed and valorised for use in road construction.
The collaboration is being undertaken through a sponsored research project titled “Development of Customized Steel Slag Valorisation Process for Techno-economic Conversion of EOF and LRF Steel Slag for Various Road Applications at JSW Salem Works.” The project focuses on converting slag from Electric Optimization Furnaces (EOF) and Ladle Refining Furnaces (LRF) into processed aggregates suitable for bituminous roads.
The Memorandum of Agreement was signed at JSW Steel Limited, Salem Works, in the presence of Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). Addressing the occasion, Dr Kalaiselvi highlighted the national and global impact of CSIR-CRRI’s Steel Slag Road® technology, which has already been implemented successfully in several states with steel producers such as Tata Steel, JSW Steel, AMNS India, RINL, Jindal Steel and Arjas Steel.
She noted that the present initiative would mark the first implementation of Steel Slag Road technology in Tamil Nadu, expanding its footprint to yet another state.
The agreement was exchanged between Dr Chalumuri Ravi Sekhar, Director, CSIR-CRRI, and B.N.S. Prakash Rao, Executive Vice President and Plant Head, JSW Steel Salem Works. Senior scientists from CSIR-CRRI, including Dr Vinod Karar and Satish Pandey, inventor of the Steel Slag Road® technology, along with senior officials from JSW Steel, were present at the ceremony.
As part of the project, CSIR-CRRI will undertake laboratory characterisation of steel slag, develop customised processing protocols, construct a demonstration road stretch near Salem and carry out long-term performance monitoring. The initiative is expected to reduce dependence on natural aggregates, minimise industrial waste and significantly lower the carbon footprint of road construction.
Officials said the project aligns with national priorities such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat, sustainable development and circular economy practices, and is likely to serve as a replicable model for steel plants across the country, promoting wider adoption of steel slag in road infrastructure.
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