THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Once, a former Chief Minister of a north Indian state promised smoothly-laid roads for the public that will resemble the cheek of yesteryear actress Hema Malini. There are many such roads in the capital that look good on the surface. But the bumpy and back-breaking ride they offer motorists, especially two-wheeler riders, will prompt one to dig deep beneath the surface to know what has gone wrong.
The Bakery Junction to Vazhuthacaud one-way stretch is an arterial road in the capital which is a classic example of how compromises to road-laying standards and lack of proper monitoring on the part of authorities can make it a model not to be emulated. For a common man, a road looks good as long as the surface remains shiny. Government contractors exploit this popular belief and take extra care in preparing a shiny surface without adhering to the standards. The result: The road will look good but offers poor ride quality to motorists.
What goes wrong
According to a top infrastructure development expert, the right mix of construction aggregate is crucial to ensure a smooth road surface. High-quality gravel stone called ‘blue metal’, ideally preferred for laying roads, is replaced with low-quality ‘white metal’ prone to flaking. The construction aggregate requires a certain mix of gravel stone of various sizes ranging from 40 mm to 6 mm. While 40 mm gravel stone costs Rs 16 per cubic feet, 6 mm will cost around Rs 40 per cubic feet. In a bid to cut costs, contractors pick a mix design, including only large-size gravel stone. This will significantly bring down the cost for the contractor but will compromise on quality.
Need for hot mix plant
Uniform mixing of bitumen is another key factor deciding road quality. As per the latest technology, a hot-mix plant, which offers wholesome mixing of bitumen is ideal to ensure the longevity of roads. In the case of PWD roads, the conventional drum-mix plants are still being used.Laying of bitumen at the ideal temperature of around 120 degrees is also crucial but is conveniently ignored by contractors, say experts. Also, using low-quality bitumen at low bonding quality and melting point have also been pointed out as another flaw.
Lack of accountability
Work on a particular stretch of road is awarded to a contractor usually for a five-year period. Due to the shoddy construction work and the vigorous monsoon, the road surface withers off in two and a half to three years. “After repeated complaints from motorists, the contractor gets pulled up. Subsequently, the contractor does a quick patchwork and wait for his contract period to end,” said a top source in the Works Department.
PWD’s take
According to PWD Chief Engineer (Roads and Bridges) Jeevaraj M N, the Works Department is in the process of converting all roads under its jurisdiction as per BMBC (bituminous macadam, bituminous concrete) standards to ensure better quality and longevity. “The situation will undergo a transformation when such roads are soon brought under the BMBC standards,” he said.