Resurface Mumbai roads with proven technology

By Murari Chaturvedi

The pathetic condition of the roads in monsoon in Mumbai is perpetual complaint with no signs of improving year after years. Municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar admitted that the BMC miserably failed to check patholes on the roads plus there are not enough civic engineers trained to attend the job. Plus there is indiscriminate digging of the roads coupled with bad footpaths, bad street lights and speed breakers. The massive development all around Mumbai and ever increasing number of vehicals each day need properly surfaced roads. Unfortunately this most important area has been grossly neglected year after year. To make the conditions worst, illegal encroachments, illegal parking, insufficient storm water drains and badly filled up trenches, and road side eateries occupy most of the roads. To negotiate Mumbai traffic, specially in monsoon, is Herculean task. The situation is worst confounded by indiscriminate digging of by utility companies like telephone, water lines and gas. The digging have reduced the roads by 35 per cent. In addition trenches debries, loose soil and stones on the roads, are making life miserable for motorists. Cementation of busy roads is particularly slow. The solution to this gigantic problem must be found soon. Otherwise the whole system of road transportation will collapse in no time. The existing roads must be repaired and on war footings by non corrupt contractors and officials. The most important task is to co-ordinate digging of roads by the telephone and gas companies. The schedule of digging area wise should be fixed. All the areas should not be taken up for digging at one go. They should finish all the digging for laying pipes and cables, in one area and finish the work including fishing and resurfacing of road and only than they should be allowed to proceed to other area. There are new and proven technologies available for resurfacing the roads. These technologies can help overcome the drawbacks of conventional system. The roads resurfaced by plastic based material does not easily develop crack when water seeps in and it also resist the softening of bitumen at high temperature and friction. These technologies for road resurfacing are successfully used globally so why not use them to get rid of this monsoon nightmare. Widening of existing road wherever possible should also start without further delay. The need of the hour is to select suitable technology for resurfacing the roads in and around Mumbai.