CHENNAI: The sand crisis in Tamil Nadu, which has already hit the construction sector, is now affecting road projects and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allowed contractors to go in for bituminous roads with a shelf life of 15 years.
“Instead of rigid pavement or concrete road, we are going in for flexible pavement,” said the chief general manager of the National Highway Authority of India, Alok Deepankar (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
Rigid pavement and flexible pavement are two types of road design methods to withstand the load. The rigid pavement has concrete layers on top and base course and soil subgrade below, with a shelf life of 30 years. In flexible pavement, the road will be bituminous with a shelf life of 15 years, said Deepankar.
The decision to change from the rigid to flexible pavement in ongoing contracts was taken in view of the difficulties faced by contractors to procure sand due to restrictions imposed by the Madras High Court.
Deepankar, however, evaded the question which stretches had been affected by the sand crisis. “The order was passed on June 21. We will be evaluating situation and get a clear picture after a month,” he said.
“If any contractor decides to switch from the rigid pavement over to flexible pavement due to shortage of sand or other materials, he will have to pass on 30 per cent of the rigid pavement cost in that contract to the Authority,” said Deepankar.
Ruling out that road projects would be hit by the sand crisis, he said M-sand was available and could be very much used.
“The State government is planning to import sand to tide over the crisis,” the official said. Interestingly, the Kamarajar Port is set to handle sand cargo and necessary arrangements have been made at the multi-cargo berth, port chairman P Raveendran said. “We have got all clearances and are waiting for the arrival of the vessels,” he said.
However, the bigger question remains whether the State has given the work order for import of five lakh tons of natural river sand.
Factfile