The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has decided to introduce a technology which uses plastic waste in the construction of roads. Delhi will become the second city in India, after Bangalore, to introduce the technology.

Delhi Newsline reports that for its pilot project, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has identified a one-kilometre stretch on Under Hill Road near Delhi University to test the viability of these plastic roads.

MCD Commissioner Rakesh Mehta said they were also carrying out experiments at the Shri Ram laboratory in Delhi University. ‘‘‘‘It is the same technology approved by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) under which plastic is shredded and then mixed in bitumen. It makes the road water resistant and more elastic -- preventing erosion. We chose the Under Hill Road as it requires dense carpeting,‘‘‘‘ said Mehta.

Two weeks ago, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had also expressed an interest in using the plastic road technology.

The CRRI, after testing the shredded plastic process has now come with an advanced version. It has converted plastic waste to a powdered form, which blends with bitumen, prior to the dry mixing process. With this process, tensile strength increases from 6.9 kg cm square to 9 kg km square. The Institute is also in the process of patenting this binding chemical.

Talking about the technology first developed by Bangalore‘‘s KK Plastic Waste Management Ltd (KKPWM), Dr Sunil Bose from the Road and Transport division said: ‘‘‘‘Disposal of non-biodegradable plastic waste is a major problem in Delhi. People often burn plastic, resulting in environmental pollution. But using it to strengthen roads both buries it safely and improves road strength.‘‘‘‘

After conducting laboratory studies on bituminous mixes and shredded plastic waste added in different percentages, Bose, who is heading the research, said: ‘‘‘‘Studies have shown that adding eight per cent plastic waste gives the best properties. If the mix is too stiff the roads, will crack and if there is too much bitumen, the roads become sticky and bleed in summer. The plastic content, on the other hand makes the roads more elastic and flexible.‘‘‘‘