changeadminIn a significant step towards promoting sustainable infrastructure and the circular economy, the CSIR–Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and JSW Steel Limited, Salem Works, have entered into a strategic partnership to utilise steel slag—an industrial by-product—in the construction of durable and eco-friendly roads in Tamil Nadu.
The collaboration aims to convert steel slag, traditionally considered industrial waste, into a valuable construction material for road infrastructure, thereby exemplifying the national vision of “From Waste to Wealth.”
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s policies on resource efficiency, reducing carbon footprints, and large-scale adoption of green technologies in public infrastructure.
The collaboration aims to promote the scientific valorisation of steel slag and its effective utilisation in steel slag road construction, contributing to India’s circular economy, resource efficiency, and green infrastructure goals.
JSW Steel Limited, Salem Works, one of the major steel manufacturing units of the JSW Group, entered into this partnership with CSIR-CRRI under a sponsored research project titled “Development of Customised 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 Electric Optimisation Furnace (EOF) and Ladle Refining Furnace (LRF) steel slag into processed slag aggregates suitable for use in bituminous road construction.
The signing ceremony was held at JSW Steel Limited, Salem Works, in the presence of Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).
Addressing the gathering, N. Kalaiselvi highlighted the national and global impact of CSIR-CRRI’s Steel Slag Road® technology, which has already been successfully implemented across multiple states in India. She noted that the present initiative would enable the first implementation of Steel Slag Road technology in Tamil Nadu.
Leading steel producers, such as AMNS India, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, Jindal Steel, and Arjas Steel, have executed the steel slag roads projects in India under CSIR-CRRI’s technical guidance.
The event was also attended by officials from CSIR-CRRI and senior leadership from JSW Steel Salem Works, reflecting a strong institutional commitment from both organisations.
The project will involve laboratory characterisation of steel slag, development of customised processing protocols, construction of a demonstration road section near Salem, and long-term performance monitoring to validate field performance.
By reducing dependence on natural aggregates, minimising industrial waste, and lowering the carbon footprint of road construction, the initiative aligns with national priorities such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat, sustainable development, and circular economy practices.
The partnership is expected to serve as a replicable model for other steel plants and support wider adoption of steel slag in road infrastructure across the country.
Earlier this month, India’s Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, recommended the use of steel slag–based technology for road construction in difficult and hilly terrain.
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