In a unique achievement, the world’s first 200-metre long bamboo crash barrier has come up on the Vani-Warora Highway in Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtra, officials said here on Saturday.
The bamboo crash barrier in Nagpur has been christened as ‘Bahu Balli’ and underwent rigorous testing at various government-run institutions on different parameters.
These included tests at the National Automotive Test Tracks in Pithampur, Indore, it secured the Class 1 in the Fire Rating Test conducted at the Central Building Research Institute in Roorkee, and has been given accreditation by the Indian Road Congress.
‘Bahubali’ is born out of the Bambusa Balcooa bamboo species – which grows in West Bengal and north-east – that has been treated with creosote oil and coated with recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE).
The recycling value of the bamboo crash barrier is stated as 50-70 per cent compared with 30-50 per cent for steel barriers.
The achievement has been described as remarkable for the bamboo sector and the country as a whole as this crash barrier offers a perfect alternative to steel.
Besides, it addresses environmental concerns and its aftermath and is a rural agro-friendly industry, boosting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, said the officials.