IE : BMC plans to adopt American technique for roads: Oct 17,2007
BMC plans to adopt American technique for roads
Express news service
Posted online: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 12:00:00
Updated: Tuesday , October 16, 2007 at 11:39:35
Mumbai, October 16 To get rid of the pot-holed roads in the city, the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to adopt the American
technology of UPM Kold Flo or cold mix. Frequent digging and torrential
rains this year had made the city roads bumpy and also led citizens to file
a PIL in Bombay High Court. Following the orders of the HC and
recommendations made by the Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC),
headed by NV Mirani, the BMC has been working to minimise the risk of
flooding and make the roads free of potholes.
The civic administration is now planning to try out the cold mix technology
by next week.
“We have been adopting conventional methods for repairing roads but now its
time we go in for some new technology. In the past also we tried different
techniques,” said an officer from the road department.
Chief Engineer (roads) DL Shinde said that the BMC has not yet taken a
decision on adopting the American technology. “We have asked for trials from
the company. By next week, the trials will be conducted on two-three
concrete and asphalt roads in the heavy traffic areas to see the effect,” he
said.
The UPM Kold Flo technique has synthetic polymer bituminous cold mix as
opposed to the hot mix of sand, gravel and asphalt which is currently used
on city roads. The cold mix does not require to be heated and it requires
very little compaction unlike the present method where rollers are used.
Officer on special duty, Avinash Rao, said that the cold mix is an ideal
technique for Mumbai roads. “Since the city’s climate is humid and there is
a heavy flow of traffic all the time, cold mix is really suitable,” he said.
The cold mix technology is also 20-30 per cent more expensive than the
conventional method of repairing roads, however, the decision on whether to
adopt the technology will be taken only after trials are conducted.
In August, the BMC also experimented with the ‘Carboncor All Road Surfacing’
technique in Kurla (west) after a South Africa-based firm demonstrated the
product. The road department, however, said that the effectiveness of
Carboncor technique is still to be studied. “We cannot say how useful the
Carboncor technique is at present. We are currently studying its impact on
the roads where it was used and after that will decide whether or not to use
it on other roads,” an official said.
Publication : IE; Section : Mn; Pg : 3; Date : 17/10/07
URL : http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/BMC-plans-to-adopt-American-technique-for-roads/229086/