Road to Perfection

With poorly constructed roads in India making headlines, Shanti Padukone, examines the underlying causes of bad road construction and delves into road matters and the likes....India has a total of 3.34 million km of road network and is the second largest in the world in this respect, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH). This network carries nearly 65 per cent of freight and 85 per cent of passenger traffic. In the cities, the traffic on roads is growing at a rate of seven to 10 per cent per annum, while the vehicle population is growing at around 12 per cent per annum.The recent spate of news items on potholes and road s in newly constructed roads and flyovers in the city of Mumbai has led to an uproar regarding the constant 'incompetence' of the concerned authorities. However, what really needs to be questioned is the deeper, root cause of badly constructed roads in India.Laying the foundationThe last ten years in India have seen considerable improvement in the general condition of roads and highways. However, as one moves towards the cities, the situation is almost transformed. Take for example a metropolitan city like Mumbai, where the monsoon brings with it a number of pothole issues that seem to be a constant problem. Water is the greatest enemy of bituminous roads, says Sudhir Badami, Civil Engineer and Transportation Analyst. Mumbai experiences around 2,000-2,300 mm of rain every year. In such conditions, bituminous roads start decaying and lead to potholes and caving roads. Sharad Sabnis, Chief Engineer, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Mumbai, adds, It is not as if Indian roads are more damage prone. The problem of potholes in bituminous pavements is rather omni-present - the scale could of course vary. But, how are potholes formed?Nilesh Chitroda, Asst Manager, Quality Control, Hiranandani Infrastructure and Real Estate Company (HIRCO) shares, Road construction is carried out after a series of surveys. The first layer to be laid is murrum or gravel along with rock ballast metals. In the case of a bituminous road, the murrum layer is covered with several layers of bituminous concrete. In the case of a cement-concrete road, lean concrete is laid over the murrum and then covered by M40 grade of concrete. This mixture must be carefully compacted in order to fill in air voids that exist between the grains of murrum. Given that moisture is hazardous for the quality of roads, a contractor must be careful to measure the exact ratio between the optimum moisture content (OMC) of the bitumen and the maximum dry density (MDD) to ensure perfect compaction, on the basis of which, water must then be filled. However, in many situations, the pressure of completing a road project on time gives way to shortcuts, due to which the road does not get properly compacted. Hence, water percolates into the base layer of the road and eats away at the bond between bitumen and the stone metal, which usually keeps the pavement strong. This is one of the chief reasons bituminous pavements are not advisable in high rainfall prone areas, and a formidable argument exists for the adoption of concrete pavements. However, comments Sabnis, concrete pavements are not preferred as a wearing coat on structures like flyovers and bridges because they vibrate with the load of moving vehicles, and s are formed in the concrete; hence, bituminous roads are the preferred choice here - this, despite their proneness to road decay.Digging deeperPoor planning is another cause of bad road construction. Kanchan Roy, Executive Vice President, Road Projects, NCC Ltd says, In cities, buildings are located right on the road and there is no proper drainage system. Here, rainwater tends to stagnate and eat up the binding quality of the bitumen, leading to road decay, since its flow is blocked by the building. On the highways, a major problem is that of overloaded vehicles. Normally, a three-axle truck can carry only 25 tonne. However, in India, we tend to overload these vehicles with almost twice the amount, which in turn puts enormous pressure on the road creating s. Hence, if the longevity of the road is estimated at around 15 years, these s reduce it by almost ten years. Regulatory bodies like the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Regional Transport Office (RTO) must set strict standards for the maximum load carried by these vehicles.Meanwhile, Ashok Shintre, Director (ES&P) (Retd), Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation stresses that improperly laid utilities under city roads merely supplement the problem of road caving and potholes. He says, The perfect road is the right combination of mixing, covering and draining. If the drainage system on the road is weak, the flow of water is blocked leaving holes on the surface. Cities need a number of utilities like gas pipes, water pipes, telecommunication cables, etc. Roy adds, Local bodies like the water and electricity departments constantly dig into the road to repair the lines and pipes. If dug before the guarantee period, the top surface of the road gets permanently damaged. Moreover, when the time to repair these pavements arises, they do not take adequate care to fill the spaces well, and the next monsoon wipes away all traces of any repair, says Roy. Shintre provides a simple solution to this problem: providing a duct below the road can enable the contractor to bring all the utilities into one area, thereby preventing digging of various areas.Going InternationalThe question remains - why roads internationally seem to be just perfect? Roy comments, We use the same kind of road building equipment that we use abroad. There is no difference in the main materials, the technique or the equipment in India. What remains to be addressed in this industry is the dearth of skilled manpower; there is a paucity of technicians and operators, and a person with even a little experience is lured by foreign jobs. Internationally, any road operator has the knowhow of road technology and can give an excellent output. Chitroda agrees, India is known for its tolerance to bad quality - a poorly constructed  road is often ignored. However, abroad, there is a set of fixed standards, fixed equipment and skills; in India, we need a quality manager on site to oversee the construction.Stepping inMoving towards the appropriate solution, Badami talks about standards. MORTH provides all the detailed specifications to be followed by state governments. The BMC's specifications were revised in 2005-2006, following a spate of complaints regarding the conditions of the roads in Mumbai and Thane. The road monitoring committee was formed by the Bombay High Court in 2006 to monitor the roads in these areas. It encompassed five agencies, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), MMRDA, BMC, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and the Public Works Department (PWD). This committee lasted for almost a year and roads were constructed and repaired smoothly for over two years after that. Badami says, Soon the contractors resorted to their old habits of taking things easy. This simply creates confusion and in the bargain, shortcuts can be taken both in process and savings simply by non adherence to specifications.Is there a solution?Chitroda talks about a method of prevention. He says, There has to be a vigilant team with the knowhow of road building. Adherence to standards and specifications is also an important factor. On the other hand, Badami talks about a transparent road maintenance management system on the Internet. He says, This website should be made public, and citizens should be allowed to register complaints and monitor their status bringing them on one platformtogether with the government.Says Sabnis, There is room for improvement in all aspects of road making: manpower, machinery, methods, materials and money. It is important to professionalise maintenance and asset management. Maintenance of roads is an important aspect often ignored in India. Bituminous pavements need to be renewed periodically by laying a fresh wearing course to replenish the layers that wear out through the traction of the travelling loads. He continues, We need to resort to trenchless excavations for utilities, and new technologies, such as the use of polymer and crumb rubber modified bitumen, etc, need to be explored. Stricter enforcement of quality during construction and defect liability provisions would help improve the situation. Even timely repairs during monsoons can prevent proliferation of potholes and their growth to large-size craters.The proverb 'a stitch in time saves nine' applies to road maintenance in India perhaps like no other area, Sabnis concludes.To share your views on the above article, write in at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com