Promoting the use of Green Construction Materials in Low Volume Roads in India (English)

Rural Connectivity is a critical component in the socio-economic development of rural people, as it provides access to amenities like education, health, marketing etc. The main thrust of rural roads in India under “Prime Ministers Rural Roads Scheme (PMGSY)” is to build a sustainable and environment-friendly road infrastructure. As the country faces increased vulnerabilities to climate change coupled with a growing scarcity of raw materials and aggregates used in the construction of rural roads in India, are also presented with opportunities to mitigate these effects and build resilience and sustainability in the 21st century. One way in which can act in a timely and appropriate manner to meet these challenges is by encouraging the use of locally-available, low-cost, and alternative materials that include both non-traditional natural soils and gravels, as well as alternative materials derived from industrial, mining and urban wastes, the latter being far more sustainable options. Use of local materials and technology could also actually create opportunities for local employment (green jobs), which is one of the objectives also of the Korea Green Growth Partnership (KGGP), with whose support this report has been prepared. This coupled with environmentally optimized rural road design is perhaps the only viable way forward. While India has seen several good initiatives, these remain somewhat confined to particular regions and/or pockets and have not moved effectively beyond being pilot initiatives. This report shows that India can reap significant positive economic benefits by mainstreaming the use of such sustainable materials and technologies in rural roads construction.