VARANASI, Sept. 29 -- Researchers at IIT (BHU), Varanasi, have developed an indigenous technology to convert waste plastic into a modified bitumen for road construction. The technology, developed under a research programme funded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), has been patented and successfully taken from laboratory research to industrial production and field application. Prof Ankit Gupta and his team in the civil engineering department developed a controlled 'wet-process' technology to produce Waste Plastic Modified Bitumen (W-PMB 76-10). A one-km, two-lane experimental stretch was laid on NH-44 between Jhansi and Lalitpur on September 24. Around 1,350 kg of waste LDPE plastic was used in the construction. The section will be monitored under actual traffic and weather conditions to assess its durability and performance. Unlike conventional methods that mix plastic with road aggregates, the IIT-BHU technology incorporates plastic directly into the bituminous binder. The modified bitumen is aimed at reducing rutting and deformation caused by high temperatures and heavy traffic. IIT-BHU director Prof Amit Patra said the project demonstrated the Institute's commitment to converting research into practical solutions for real-world problems....