Although people agree that white-topping of roads is the solution for potholes on asphalted roads, there is much concern about problems like traffic congestion that the project will cause rather than its ultimate benefits
BENGALURU: What does a doctor do when a person suffers from a chronic ailment? Prescribe a treatment, like surgery, that ensures recovery and longer-lasting better health, albeit with initial discomfort. That is precisely what is happening to Bengaluru with its chronic ailment of potholed roads — the treatment being the more durable and pothole-free, although costlier, white-topped roads.
However, the city’s denizens are more worried about the ‘initial discomfort’ in the form of congested roads due to the obstruction caused by the ongoing road white-topping works in several parts of the city.
To a large extent, white-topping remains an enigma for the common man who bears the daily brunt of potholed asphalted (or black-topped) roads and is directly affected by traffic jams due to the ongoing works. Seeking instant solutions to potholes and traffic jams, they fail to understand that it will ultimately be a blessing for Bengaluru motorists when the potholes vanish from the city’s surface.
The project to carry out white-topping of roads was announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier in September this year. A total of `1,000 crore had been released for the project covering 500 major roads in the city at an estimated cost of `11.07 crore per km. The funds were released under the Nagarotthana grants for two packages — the first for 40 km involving six roads; and the second for 54 km for 24 roads. Mayor Sampath Raj said the decision had been taken keeping in mind the longevity of the roads.
Road white-topping is a method to strengthen roads by laying a thick concrete layer over an asphalted road to ensure longevity. The concrete layer can be eight inches or more in thickness. Such roads are less prone to cracks and potholes than the asphalted ones, but it also costs more and are known to be slightly rougher on the ride/drive. According to estimates, white-topping of roads costs `11.07 crore per km as compared to just about `85 lakh per km for black-topped (asphalted) roads.
PERCEIVED PROBLEMS
Citizens have alleged that some roads that were already smooth are being white-topped, which is causing traffic congestion. In addition, they say the prerequisites are not being followed, which will negate the durability that such roads are meant to have.White-topping of roads does take much longer than asphalting and is bound to pose traffic problems on particular stretches of roads for longer periods than otherwise. But the benefits of it far outweigh those of asphalted roads (See box of comparison).
Experts too, although in favour of white-topping of city roads, insist that if this technology of road improvement has to be undertaken to prevent emergence of potholes, it has to be preceded by utility services being put in place. This will avoid newly white-topped roads from being dug up frequently — a common and unwelcome occurrence in the city arising from the lack of coordination between various civic agencies.
Traffic expert M N Sreehari says conceptually, white-topping is a good thing, but only when quality is ensured while laying the road. “All the pipelines need to be underground so that no digging is carried out,” he says.Civic expert and former member of the now-defunct Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) V Ravichandar says longevity of the white-topped road is dependent on how well the pre-planning is done.
“With white-topping, one must ensure that utility and sewage issues are taken care of first. Once the road is laid, it must not be touched. Or else, an attempt to fill the road will only make it worse. It will be worse even compared to potholes on the roads. Also, a huge stretch of the road will have to be opened for any maintenance and relaid all over again. This will lead to additional expenses and the purpose is defeated.”
He said that one such incident occurred in Langford Town where a road was white-topped and later dug for some sanitation work. Commenting on smooth roads being white-topped, Ravichandar says, “That is typical (for asphalted roads) and happens all the time. You do a road and then BWSSB digs it up — this is a fact of life in Bengaluru.”He said white-topping should be preceded by improvement of footpaths and uniform motor lanes, which were missing. He pointed out to the narrow footpath by the wide road from Kanteerva Stadium to Cubbon Park.
Dr Ashish Verma, Associate Professor, Transportation engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, however, says while there are several pros to white topping on roads, both forms of laying roads and the longevity depend on how these stretches are maintained. He feels it is mandatory to have service ducts and to follow scientific guidelines while laying roads. “It is also important to ensure the roads are not dug for other civic works later,” he says.
Urban expert Ashwin Mahesh says though the project is good in principle, there are two major flaws with the way it is being executed. Firstly, roads with non-uniform width are not being made uniform. Secondly, footpaths being built are not wide enough. “Tomorrow, if you have to widen the footpaths, you will have to break the concrete, and it is only a matter of time before that happens. This not a total solution. This will only improve traffic speed, not traffic flow.”
Ups and downs about the project
While some commuters are all for the white-topped roads due to their longevity and better visibility, many others say the projects undertaken in the city are not worth the money spent on them
POSITIVE ABOUT IT
Dr D S Rajashekar, a member of Citizens’ Action Forum, is among those whose travel time has increased due to the road work. He stays at Kalyan Nagar near Outer Ring Road. And yet, he is all for the project. “There is a guarantee that white-topped roads have a longer life and can also reduce the number of potholes to a large extent,” he said.Rajashekar said if something good has to happen, the public will have to make sacrifices. “For once, I’m being very positive about this. We should not be critical all the time. What we ask for is transparency and accountability, rigorous quality control and for defaulting contractors to be penalised,” he said.
NEGATIVE ABOUT IT
Two such stretches which residents say were unnecessarily white-topped are small stretches on the Outer Ring Road near Kalyan Nagar and a stretch of Hosur Road near Forum Mall.
Vinay Muniappa commutes every day from Hebbal to Marathathalli. It usually takes him 45 minutes to reach Tin Factory by bus, but about a month ago, it took him two hours and 45 minutes. This was because white topping was being carried out on a stretch of the Outer Ring Road near Kalyan Nagar. Muniyappa says the stretch was completely smooth and free of potholes. “Traffic got congested all the way back until Manyata Tech Park,” he adds. Muniappa further says that he is willing to file Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to challenge such roads being white-topped.
Murlidhar Rao, a member of the advocacy group PrajaRAAG, said the stretch of Hosur Road near Forum was mostly fine and added that the project was not worth the money spent on it. “The simple solution to potholes is to lay the bitumen properly and not to let water stagnate. Instead, they spend crores for white-topping. Invariably they will end up digging the roads and then it is going to be far more costly and pneumatic drills and sprinklers will have to be used.”
Ravi G, a resident of Yelahanka, said the Madiwala underpass, after it had been white-topped, was still uneven as it had not been allowed to ‘cure’ for long enough.
