National highways to soon have self-healing roads? NHAI explores ‘ingenious’ methods to address issue of potholes – Times of India

Self-healing roads in India soon? The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is exploring an innovative technology that could potentially revolutionize road maintenance in the country. The technology involves the use of self-healing asphalt, which has the ability to address the persistent issue of potholes, a major contributor to road accidents and fatalities in India.”We are considering ingenious and unconventional methods to improve durability and to address the issue of potholes,” a senior government official who requested anonymity told ET.
The self-healing properties of this special asphalt could offer a long-term solution to the pothole problem. However, before implementing the technology on a large scale, the government plans to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis to ensure its feasibility and effectiveness. The official added, “This can increase the lifespan of roads and practically eliminate the need for road maintenance, while bringing down traffic disruption.”

In 2022, India experienced a significant 22.6% rise in the number of road accidents caused by potholes on national highways, increasing from 3,625 in 2021 to 4,446. These accidents claimed the lives of 1,856 individuals, which is a 25.3% year-on-year increase.
The self-healing asphalt technology works by incorporating small pieces of steel wool into the bitumen, the binding agent in asphalt. This addition makes the bitumen conductive, allowing it to be heated using an induction machine. The heating process enables the bitumen to rebind with the stones and gravel in the asphalt, effectively repairing cracks and preventing the formation of potholes.

The road transport and highways ministry has allocated Rs 2,600 crore for road maintenance in the 2024-25 budget, which is consistent with the budgetary and revised estimates for 2023-24 and slightly higher than the Rs 2,573.66 crore spent in 2022-23.