IE: Bitumen shortage hits pre-monsoon road repairs: May 21, 2008

Bitumen shortage hits pre-monsoon road repairs

HPCL, BPCL refineries shut for maintenance, BMC and contractors may need to procure bitumen from Surat………SHWETA DESAI

WITH barely three weeks to go before the onset of the monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is facing a new crisis: the reinstatement work on trenches dug across the city by utility providers. For, the bitumen supplying refineries of Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum Chemicals Ltd are shut for maintenance with the civic body having no additional supply to repair the trenches.Although the deadline for reinstatement of all dug-up roads – there are around 20 private and government agencies who dig to lay cables and other utilities – is May 31, a review of the work is to be undertaken on Wednesday. And the civic administration has admitted that, so far, the trenches have not been filled.

The BMC charges agencies that dig trenches along roads, who are also responsible for reinstatement once the utility work is completed. “Bitumen is the main ingredient used for filling potholes or trenches. Since the refineries have been shut, we have not been able to pro cure the material from elsewhere,” said Chief Engineer (Roads) D L Shinde.

The civic body has a contract with both HPCL and BPCL for procurement of the material as they are Central government bodies. Both the refineries in Mumbai are currently shut for scheduled maintenance and to add new clean fuel units. On an average, the civic body procures 1,200 tonnes of bitumen from these refineries every year, and up to 500 tonnes of the material is consumed in the monsoon period.

Bitumen is a mixture of sticky black organic liquid popularly known as tar or asphalt and is primarily used for paving roads. The civic administration has been in touch with the authorities at HPCL and BPCL, but has been unable to get any bitumen as the plants are completely shut. HPCL or BPCL officials could not be contacted for a comment.

“The pre-monsoon period is a crucial one for completing road works. During the monsoon, the potholes can be properly filled only if there is a rain break. We therefore try and finish covering the trenches before the monsoon arrives,” Shinde said.

Non-availability of bitumen has also resulted in the closure of the BMCs asphalt plant at Worli, which is used for mixing metal, grit and bitumen. It is from here that the material for repairing potholes is sent to ward offices. The BMC has appointed 24 contractors in each ward who will be responsible for the potholes during the monsoon, but even these contractors receive their supply of bitumen from HPCL and BPCL refineries.

The civic administration is now thinking of procuring the material from refineries in Surat. “We have told the contractors to try and get bitumen from Surat, but we are hopeful that the refineries will start soon and the reinstatement will be finished before the deadline,” Shinde said.

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