Research into India-specific emission factors, practical policy initiatives, and proper evaluation of available green technologies are needed to keep carbon emissions low in road construction and maintenance projects, Ankit Gupta, Associate Professor and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Chair Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, has said.
Dr. Gupta was speaking on Saturday on 'Greenhouse gas estimation methodology and carbon-efficient technologies for sustainable road construction and maintenance' at the National Conference on Resilient Infrastructure (NCRI-2022) organised by the Kerala Highway Research Institute (KHRI), an agency under the Public Works Department, and IIT, Palakkad.
Engineers needed to focus on finding out which of the green technologies available were sustainable, cost-efficient, and best-suited to a given construction project, he said. ''For example, in Kerala, you have natural disasters like floods or landslides. Considering these factors, can you quantify your projects on the basis of the different approaches as to which is more resilient or less resilient in terms of some numbers?'' he said.
Contributors to carbon emissions in road construction and maintenance include the use of construction materials, removal of trees or green cover, fuel/electricity usage, and use of construction machinery.
Citing an example, Dr. Gupta said the construction of an average single-lane mile of freeway produces enough pollution to equal up to 1,200 tonnes of CO2, roughly the same amount as the total annual emissions of 210 passenger cars.
The Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy unveiled by MoRTH in 2015 envisions the development of eco-friendly national highways with all-round participation. Dr. Gupta also underscored the importance of research and development and codal provisions, guidelines, and incentives to promote construction of green roads.
The two-day NCRI-2022, which was inaugurated by Minister for Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas on Friday, concluded on Saturday.
