IRC accepts jute as geo-textile for road

The Indian Road Congress (IRC) has accepted jute as geo-textile for using in building of roads, which could be a major boost to West Bengal’s jute industry that employs lakhs of workers.

“IRC has identified a few types of jute based geo-textiles and notification in this regard is expected soon,” Subrata Gupta, Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Textiles, said on the sidelines of Textiles India 2017 roadshow.

“Now, with the IRC acceptance it will be very easy to push the material in road construction,” he said. For the past seven years the industry worked hard in pursuing different states to use jute as geo-textile in construction of roads. Currently, three jute varieties are being used as geo-textile in construction of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana (PMGSY).