Belgaum (Karnataka): The Belgaum Municipal Corporation has initiated a project to construct roads using waste plastics in a bid to clean the environment in the district. The Public Works Standing Committee meeting held last week approved the laying of a 200-metre road in front of the Belgaum Corporation office in Ashoka Nagar using plastic.
The Corporation will use 1,700 kg of bitumen (asphalt) and 500 kg of plastic to lay the road. The proportion of plastic used in bitumen (asphalt) is around 8%. Next week, the urban development minister and district in-charge minister will launch this trial road. Speaking about the construction of road using plastic, assistant executive engineer (AEE) Manmantha Kaladagi of the Corporation's Environment Department said, "A road was laid using plastic is more durable. It does not deteriorate quickly during the rainy season. If this is successful, a decision has been taken to use 8% plastic in the roads to be laid in the city."
"If plastic is left as it is, it will harm the environment. There will be no problem if it is recycled in this way. This is the first time in the state that roads are being constructed using plastic," he said. Vani Joshi, chairperson of the Public Works Standing Committee, said, "Using plastic will reduce the cost of road work and will increase the durability of the road. I am very happy that the Corporation is starting an innovative project."
Metropolitan Corporation Commissioner Ashoka Dudgunty responded, "Our aim is to make Belagavi clean, beautiful, green and waste-free. Around five tonnes of banned single-use plastic, which was sold illegally in the market, has been seized. We will use it for road construction. This will eliinate plastic waste in the future," he said.
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