UP PWD to use Falling Weight Deflectometer to reduce repair costs

The Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD), a highly advanced machine, will be used by the public works department (PWD) to thoroughly evaluate road pavements and establish the schedule for maintenance and improvement activities. The FWD machine, which has an estimated cost of Rs 150 million, is currently utilised to examine national highways and is anticipated to reduce the state's spending on road repairs.

In Maharashtra, government organisations utilise it as well to evaluate the state of the pavement on the roads. The machine, which was made available at the Lucknow headquarters, was used to perform a thorough analysis of state route 84A (Mainpuri to Kurawali road), which was upgraded to a four-lane dual carriageway in 2016 and was due for routine maintenance. The investigation was carried out by Chief Engineers Jitendra Kumar Banga and Parvez Ahmad Khan, who earlier this month turned in a comprehensive research document to the department. While state highways typically need periodic maintenance every four years, it was discovered during the inspection that the particular highway wouldn't require an overlay for another 16 years.

An executive engineer from the headquarters who was also participating in the assessment remarked, “In case cracks are visible superficially, micro-surfacing treatment can be used. However, no major repair or renewal will be required for the next 16 years.” Sandeep Kumar, the Head Engineer, claimed that due to good quality control, the pavement condition was still great six years after construction began. The department would be able to estimate the pavement's life through the FDR machine and plan maintenance tasks appropriately. From Rs 47.47 billion in the current fiscal year to Rs 62.10 billion for the fiscal year 2023-2024, the PWD would boost the budget for routine maintenance, repairs, and renewals.