(a) whether rubberised bitumin made in Kochi Refineries Limited, Kerala has
been fully exhausted;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the capacity for KRL to make such Tar commercially;
(d) whether any capacity expansion is planned;
(e) whether there are other production centres in the country where
rubberised Bitumin is produced using natural rubber latex; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) & (c) Kochi Refineries Limited (KRL) commissioned the natural rubber
modified bitumen (NRMB) production plant with a capacity of 15,000 metric
tonnes per annum (MTPA) in 1999. The entire quantity is being taken by the
State Government of Kerala.
(d) The Board of KRL have approved in January, 2002 a proposal to increase
the NRMB production capacity to 65,000 MTPA.
(e) & (f) It is understood that M/s Hindustan Colas have recently started
production of NRMB at Chennai.