HYDERABAD: Soon, commuters in the Pearl City will get some relief from the terrible, embarrassing experience of riding through pothole-ridden roads. For, the Greater Hyderabad Muncipal Corporation GHMC) is planning to replace the present bitumen (BT) roads with white topping roads which are laid using cement concrete.
A first-of-its-kind white topping road (cement concrete road) was laid at Banjara Hills Road Number 10 during last week of July and vehicles have started plying through the new stretch.
“The white topping road at Banjara Hills was laid to demonstrate the technology to GHMC. The one-km long,14.5-metre wide four lane road was laid in just 17 days, that too working just in nights, without cause any disturbance to the traffic. As we have successfully completed it, we want to give a presentation to GHMC officials and urge them to consider the benefits and lay more white top roads in the city,” said Ravinder Reddy,marketing director of Bharathi Cement and a member of Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) of AP and Telangana. CMA took up the laying of white topping road which cost about RS 2.25 crore at Banjara Hills, by paying from its pocket, to convince GHMC about the new technology. Though the initial cost of laying a white top road is more, when it comes to durability, it will be affordable and ensures unparalleled longevity and safety, argue CMA members.
“While the cost for laying a bitumen road will be RS 1,200 - RS 1,250 per square metre, the white topping road costs about RS 1,650 per square metre. When taken up on a large scale, the cost per square metre will come down to RS 1,500. Though it will look expensive, when we consider longevity it will prove to be much cheaper,” said a senior official from Greater Hyderabad Municpal Coproration (GHMC) seconding CMA’s claims on white top roads.
Considering the need to make road journey safer and comfortable, white top roads is the future. However, it will take some more time to shift from bitumen roads as we have to complete procedural formalities, he noted.Officials are identifying roads for white topping in the city.
GHMC officials are only worried about managing the traffic when roads are closed for laying white top roads. The authorities are planning to coordinate with traffic police before giving a nod to white top roads.
Black to white