September 26, 2026

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for another six months in most parts of Manipur, several districts of Nagaland, and certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Friday. NEW DELHI/ AIZAWL: The home ministry Friday extended the application of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagal-and for six months, until March 31, 2027. Status quo has been retained in terms of police stations and districts declared “disturbed”.Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the banned United Kuki National Army was arrested Thursday in Aizawl and will be sent to Manipur, a senior police officer said. Thangkhomang Haokip was held in a joint operation by Assam Rifles and Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau. “He is not in the custody of Mizoram police. The case is most likely to be taken over by NIA,” the officer said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA central agency official said NIA sleuths had also arrested two Kuki student leaders from Manipur at a hotel in Aizawl.Haokip is accused of involvement in several attacks, including a 2024 ambush on an advance security convoy of then Manipur CM N Biren Singh.(With inputs from HC Vanlalruata)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for another six months in most parts of Manipur, several districts of Nagaland, and certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Friday. NEW DELHI/ AIZAWL: The home ministry Friday extended the application of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagal-and for six months, until March 31, 2027. Status quo has been retained in terms of police stations and districts declared “disturbed”.Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the banned United Kuki National Army was arrested Thursday in Aizawl and will be sent to Manipur, a senior police officer said. Thangkhomang Haokip was held in a joint operation by Assam Rifles and Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau. “He is not in the custody of Mizoram police. The case is most likely to be taken over by NIA,” the officer said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA central agency official said NIA sleuths had also arrested two Kuki student leaders from Manipur at a hotel in Aizawl.Haokip is accused of involvement in several attacks, including a 2024 ambush on an advance security convoy of then Manipur CM N Biren Singh.(With inputs from HC Vanlalruata)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court


AFSPA extended in 3 NE states; Kuki group chief held in Aizawl
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for another six months in most parts of Manipur, several districts of Nagaland, and certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Friday.

NEW DELHI/ AIZAWL: The home ministry Friday extended the application of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagal-and for six months, until March 31, 2027. Status quo has been retained in terms of police stations and districts declared “disturbed”.Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the banned United Kuki National Army was arrested Thursday in Aizawl and will be sent to Manipur, a senior police officer said. Thangkhomang Haokip was held in a joint operation by Assam Rifles and Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau. “He is not in the custody of Mizoram police. The case is most likely to be taken over by NIA,” the officer said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends ‘Bhajan Clubbing’ on the occasion of Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary, at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Park in New Delhi on Friday. (DD News) NEW DELHI: Mixing modern trends with tradition, PM Narendra Modi Friday evening attended a ‘bhajan clubbing’ at a park named after BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay to pay him tributes on his 116th birth anniversary.Attended by a young cohort, whose embrace of bhajan clubbing has made it a big trend, especially among the urban youth, across the country, the event drew praise from Modi.”Bhajan Clubbing in Delhi. Spectacular,” he said of the event, which saw a live performance by a band.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesBhajan clubbing has a concert-like feel and hosts devotional songs, with its popularity shining a light on the growing traction of religiosity in the younger demography, who has chosen to shape it in its own style.Modi’s participation marks his continuous engagement with the Gen Z crowd at a time when his political opponents are trying hard to woo them as well.He had spoken about this at his Mann Ki Baat broadcast in Jan, saying the young generation has adapted devotion to their lifestyle.This mindset has given rise to a new cultural trend, he had said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends ‘Bhajan Clubbing’ on the occasion of Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary, at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Park in New Delhi on Friday. (DD News) NEW DELHI: Mixing modern trends with tradition, PM Narendra Modi Friday evening attended a ‘bhajan clubbing’ at a park named after BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay to pay him tributes on his 116th birth anniversary.Attended by a young cohort, whose embrace of bhajan clubbing has made it a big trend, especially among the urban youth, across the country, the event drew praise from Modi.”Bhajan Clubbing in Delhi. Spectacular,” he said of the event, which saw a live performance by a band.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesBhajan clubbing has a concert-like feel and hosts devotional songs, with its popularity shining a light on the growing traction of religiosity in the younger demography, who has chosen to shape it in its own style.Modi’s participation marks his continuous engagement with the Gen Z crowd at a time when his political opponents are trying hard to woo them as well.He had spoken about this at his Mann Ki Baat broadcast in Jan, saying the young generation has adapted devotion to their lifestyle.This mindset has given rise to a new cultural trend, he had said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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PM tells cadre not to focus only on vote banks NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday asked BJP members to draw inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi to blend social reforms with their political work instead of focusing on vote bank politics.”When we look at Mahatma Gandhi’s life, we see he fought against the British and led the freedom movement. But he was also a great social reformer. He always worked against social evils. We as political workers too should not merely focus on vote-bank politics and allow things to continue as they are. We must continue working for social reforms,” he said.He was interacting virtually with participants of “Seva Yatra”, a motorcyle rally from Varanasi to Vadnagar organised by BJP to mark his 76th birthday and his continuous stint of 25 years as head of govt.Modi drew from his own experience as a frequent traveller across the length and breadth of India and said it has deeply enriched his life and values. “The message of service should be spread not merely by our words but action,” he said, highlighting the felicitation of sanitation workers and other service-oriented programmes to make his point. Serving people is serving the country, he said, adding that BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, whose birth anniversary fell on Friday, put serving people at the core of his ideology.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe praised those who carried out the cleanliness work in Prayagraj, noting that their efforts made the ‘Kumbh Mela’ famous worldwide for sanitation and elevated India’s honour.”So, I felt compelled to wash the feet of those who have enhanced India’s honour so much, to seek their blessings,” he said.Modi also said over the past 12 years, the gap between cities and villages in India has significantly narrowed and infrastructure in villages has improved to a great extent. He said self-reliance among women has also increased in the country.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

PM tells cadre not to focus only on vote banks NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday asked BJP members to draw inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi to blend social reforms with their political work instead of focusing on vote bank politics.”When we look at Mahatma Gandhi’s life, we see he fought against the British and led the freedom movement. But he was also a great social reformer. He always worked against social evils. We as political workers too should not merely focus on vote-bank politics and allow things to continue as they are. We must continue working for social reforms,” he said.He was interacting virtually with participants of “Seva Yatra”, a motorcyle rally from Varanasi to Vadnagar organised by BJP to mark his 76th birthday and his continuous stint of 25 years as head of govt.Modi drew from his own experience as a frequent traveller across the length and breadth of India and said it has deeply enriched his life and values. “The message of service should be spread not merely by our words but action,” he said, highlighting the felicitation of sanitation workers and other service-oriented programmes to make his point. Serving people is serving the country, he said, adding that BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, whose birth anniversary fell on Friday, put serving people at the core of his ideology.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe praised those who carried out the cleanliness work in Prayagraj, noting that their efforts made the ‘Kumbh Mela’ famous worldwide for sanitation and elevated India’s honour.”So, I felt compelled to wash the feet of those who have enhanced India’s honour so much, to seek their blessings,” he said.Modi also said over the past 12 years, the gap between cities and villages in India has significantly narrowed and infrastructure in villages has improved to a great extent. He said self-reliance among women has also increased in the country.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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EAM Jaishankar External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday sharply responded to a Pakistani journalist who asked him a question related to terrorism. “A terrorist country is asking me that question. Come on,” Jaishankar said in a strong response to the question by the Pakistani journalist at the United Nations.Jaishankar and Liberia’s foreign minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti delivered remarks to the press at the UN HQ on the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers.After their remarks, the Pakistani journalist stood up and shouted a question to Jaishankar, “When will your government stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan?”India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, told the Pakistani journalist, “You have heard your reply. You have heard your response, loud and clear.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

EAM Jaishankar External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday sharply responded to a Pakistani journalist who asked him a question related to terrorism. “A terrorist country is asking me that question. Come on,” Jaishankar said in a strong response to the question by the Pakistani journalist at the United Nations.Jaishankar and Liberia’s foreign minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti delivered remarks to the press at the UN HQ on the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers.After their remarks, the Pakistani journalist stood up and shouted a question to Jaishankar, “When will your government stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan?”India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, told the Pakistani journalist, “You have heard your reply. You have heard your response, loud and clear.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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NEW DELHI: In a first for the road sector, govt has used waste plastic as a wet mix with bitumen to lay a bituminous highway stretch, a move that is likely to reduce imports of the key construction material while addressing the growing problem of plastic waste.On Thursday, a pilot test section was laid on the main carriageway of NH-44 in Jhansi. Officials associated with the pilot said the technology has potential to reduce conventional bitumen consumption by around 4%, lowering demand for a material that India largely imports to meet domestic requirements. They added that the modified bitumen could cost around 20% less than conventional bitumen.The waste plastic wet-process technology for producing premium-quality Waste Plastic Modified Bitumen (W-PMB 76-10) has been developed by IIT (BHU), Varanasi, under a research programme funded by the ministry of road transport and highways. The performance of the pilot stretch will be monitored by IIT (BHU) to assess its long-term engineering performance and field suitability, officials said.India generates around 25,000 tonne of plastic waste every day. Until now, waste plastic has been used in road construction only as a dry mix with aggregates while laying the bituminous layer. The new method mixes processed waste plastic directly with bitumen before it is laid, making it the first such pilot on a national highway.Officials said the technology offers multiple benefits, including the value-added reuse of waste plastic through a scientifically controlled process and improved rut resistance of bituminous mixes under high ambient temperatures and heavy axle loads.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe technology has also recently been granted a patent. The low-density polyethylene (LDPE) used in the process — a soft, flexible and lightweight thermoplastic made from petroleum — includes discarded irrigation pipes, waste files and plastic folders. The material has been processed with the support of local recyclers and MSMEs, creating an opportunity to integrate local waste recycling with infrastructure development.“Laboratory evaluations have shown that LDPE-modified bitumen provides better resistance to moisture damage and greater resistance to rutting at high temperatures. The modified binder increases the stiffness and high-temperature performance of asphalt, helping pavements withstand permanent deformation under heavy traffic loads and extreme temperatures,” an official said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

NEW DELHI: In a first for the road sector, govt has used waste plastic as a wet mix with bitumen to lay a bituminous highway stretch, a move that is likely to reduce imports of the key construction material while addressing the growing problem of plastic waste.On Thursday, a pilot test section was laid on the main carriageway of NH-44 in Jhansi. Officials associated with the pilot said the technology has potential to reduce conventional bitumen consumption by around 4%, lowering demand for a material that India largely imports to meet domestic requirements. They added that the modified bitumen could cost around 20% less than conventional bitumen.The waste plastic wet-process technology for producing premium-quality Waste Plastic Modified Bitumen (W-PMB 76-10) has been developed by IIT (BHU), Varanasi, under a research programme funded by the ministry of road transport and highways. The performance of the pilot stretch will be monitored by IIT (BHU) to assess its long-term engineering performance and field suitability, officials said.India generates around 25,000 tonne of plastic waste every day. Until now, waste plastic has been used in road construction only as a dry mix with aggregates while laying the bituminous layer. The new method mixes processed waste plastic directly with bitumen before it is laid, making it the first such pilot on a national highway.Officials said the technology offers multiple benefits, including the value-added reuse of waste plastic through a scientifically controlled process and improved rut resistance of bituminous mixes under high ambient temperatures and heavy axle loads.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe technology has also recently been granted a patent. The low-density polyethylene (LDPE) used in the process — a soft, flexible and lightweight thermoplastic made from petroleum — includes discarded irrigation pipes, waste files and plastic folders. The material has been processed with the support of local recyclers and MSMEs, creating an opportunity to integrate local waste recycling with infrastructure development.“Laboratory evaluations have shown that LDPE-modified bitumen provides better resistance to moisture damage and greater resistance to rutting at high temperatures. The modified binder increases the stiffness and high-temperature performance of asphalt, helping pavements withstand permanent deformation under heavy traffic loads and extreme temperatures,” an official said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data Shows123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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