Page 27 - Trafficinfratech Magazine April 2023 Digital Edition

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place in industry in each sector. in road construction are: use
Can the new method be green of locally available/marginal
and sustainable without hindering materials, recycling of pavements,
growth? Reducing the amount of artificial aggregate, bio-binders,
carbon dioxide occurring as a result waste materials and stabilized
of transport and power generation pavements. We can have many
is essential to meet the net zero innovations in design, construction
target set for India. method and materials to reduce
carbon emissions.
Globally, road transportation
accounts for about 20 percent Talking of women in road It is not just about
of total CO emissions and 74 construction sector…
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percent of total transportation gender diversity,
emissions. Road construction India needs improvement but it is also about
sector is a significant driver of especially if we talk about Women the fact that
demand for construction materials participation in Construction
and equipment that have a sector. India tops the world in women offer and
substantial carbon footprint. Road producing female graduates in contribute to the
infrastructure in India is mainly STEM but ranks 19th in employing team from different
dominated by flexible pavement them, which reflects that either
type. There was a study done to females do not get the opportunity perspectives.
track and measure the carbon or they quit and do not opt for Digitization and
footprint of flexible pavement. The engineering jobs as their career. automation in
construction process was mapped According to the United Nations,
and CO -eq was measured during women constitute merely 14% construction
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the production and transportation of the total 280,000 scientists, industry can bring
of raw materials and operations engineers and technologists in the percentage
of plant off site and onsite research development institutions
project. The results showed total in India. All India Survey on Higher of women
emissions of 70,900 tonnes of Education 2018-19 says, just 3% participation in civil
CO -eq consisting 34248 tonnes of women enrol in PhD in sciences engineering field
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(48%) offsite activities and 36640 and only 6% opt for a PhD in
tonnes (52%) onsite activities. Engineering and Technology. higher”
Road construction agencies can Such statistics and numbers
have a huge impact on lowering enforce us to think that: Are women
emissions, particularly from energy not inclined towards maths and created then women can set
used on road networks, building sciences? Or is there some research different standards for STEM.
materials and fleet operations. that indicates that only men have A recent survey shows
If we change our road that special gene required to grasp nearly three-quarters of
construction practices, then we science, technology, engineering construction companies see
can achieve about 30% reduction and work in field? It is a fact that digital transformation as a top
in carbon emissions. We need to the engineering world is dominated priority, with new technologies
build de-carbonization road maps by men. Also, many people say that opening doors for women in the
around five areas: improving this field is not for you, because of workforce. Digital transformation
energy efficiency and increasing the construction site challenges & automation offers opportunities
renewable generation, enabling or the extra hours needed for the to enhance productivity and make
sustainable mobility, circularity, job. I feel women are not a fragile construction jobs easier which
climate resilient roads. Some of gender. ultimately help to address labor
the technologies which are proven I believe if more opportunities shortages and also open doors for
and can lead to attain sustainability are given and an ecosystem is women in this field.

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