NEWS: The ongoing West Asia conflict has disrupted India's bitumen imports, affecting road infrastructure projects due to India's dependence on imports for 30–40% of its bitumen requirement.

ABOUT

• Bitumen is a dense, highly viscous, petroleum-based hydrocarbon.
• Occurs naturally in oil sands and pitch lakes, and is also obtained as a residue from crude oil distillation in refineries.
• Popularly known as the "Black Gold of Road Construction" because of its indispensable role in road paving.

KEY FEATURES

• Possesses excellent waterproofing and adhesive properties.
• Acts as a strong binding material in road construction.
• Soluble in carbon disulphide.
• Contains complex hydrocarbons along with elements such as sulphur, oxygen, calcium, and iron.

APPLICATIONS

• Widely used in the construction of roads, highways, airports, and pavements.
• Also used in waterproofing, roofing, and industrial applications.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Essential for India's expanding road and highway infrastructure.
• India's 30–40% import dependence makes bitumen supply vulnerable to global geopolitical disruptions.
• Stable availability is crucial for timely execution of infrastructure projects.