THARPARKAR: Pakistan has taken a significant step towards sustainable infrastructure with the inauguration of the country’s first model road constructed using pavers incorporating Thar Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) at the Thar Institute of Engineering, Sciences & Technology (TIEST), Tharparkar.
The model road, inaugurated on August 18, 2026, is the result of a collaborative initiative between TIEST Tharparkar, a constituent college of NED University of Engineering & Technology (NEDUET), and Engro Powergen Thar Limited (EPTL).
Covering approximately 13,200 square feet, the project demonstrates the potential of using coal combustion by-products as sustainable construction materials. The concrete pavers used in the road incorporate 20% replacement of cement with Thar coal fly ash, providing a practical example of converting an industrial by-product into a useful infrastructure material.
The project was jointly inaugurated by Athar Abrar Khwaja, CEO Thar Energy Limited, and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tufail, Vice Chancellor of NED University of Engineering & Technology.
The model road was technically designed and supervised by Dr. Muhammad Aslam Bhutto, in collaboration with the technical team of EPTL.
The initiative highlights the potential for greater resource recovery and circularity in Pakistan’s construction sector by finding productive applications for coal combustion products. It also demonstrates how research and engineering expertise can be translated into practical infrastructure solutions through stronger industry–academia partnerships.
According to the project’s proponents, the initiative offers several potential benefits, including more sustainable construction practices, reduced reliance on conventional cement, productive utilization of industrial by-products, and the development of locally engineered solutions for Pakistan.
The project also reinforces Thar’s growing role beyond electricity generation, highlighting opportunities for innovation in materials engineering, sustainable construction and circular economy practices.
The successful completion of the model road could provide a basis for further research and wider application of Thar coal combustion products in infrastructure projects across Pakistan.
The initiative represents a broader shift towards turning waste into value, translating research into practice and using local resources to develop sustainable infrastructure solutions.
The model road stands as a demonstration project today, but its wider adoption could offer a new pathway for sustainable construction in Pakistan.
