Tata Steel’s Industrial By‑Product Management Division (IBMD) has supplied 20,000 tonnes of ground‑granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) for the widening of National Highway‑53 (NH‑53) from Chandikhol to Paradip in Odisha. The material, a by‑product of the company’s steelmaking process, is being used as a sustainable substitute for cement in the construction work.
The 76‑km highway stretch, which traverses Jajpur, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts, is being expanded from four lanes to six lanes to improve road connectivity to Paradip Port and support industrial growth in the region. According to Tata Steel, the use of GGBS in such large‑scale projects significantly reduces the carbon footprint of construction by lowering cement consumption, one of the major sources of CO₂ emissions in infrastructure projects.
The initiative reflects the steelmaker’s efforts to promote circular economy practices by repurposing industrial by‑products in infrastructure projects. Tata Steel has been encouraging the wider use of steel slag and other by‑products in road construction, agriculture and other applications as part of its sustainability strategy.
Highway projects in India are increasingly adopting greener materials as the government pushes for sustainable infrastructure development. By using GGBS, the NH‑53 project will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also enhance the durability of the road, as GGBS improves concrete strength and resistance to chemical attack.
The widening of NH‑53 is expected to boost trade and logistics efficiency by providing faster connectivity between industrial hubs in Odisha and Paradip Port, which is crucial for export‑oriented sectors, including steel and minerals.
