German technology a strain on BMP purse

German technology a strain on BMP purse
Deccan Herald

It is time to re-lay, sorry, re-work on the project details. A ray of hope that was given by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to render sturdier and long-lasting roads using a hi-tech method, is not materialising any more.

The Indiranagar 100 feet road that was selected by the BMP to be experimented with, using a German technology - ‘Cold Recycling Mixing Plant’ manufactured by a company called Wirtgen, will not undergo this treatment anymore. Hence work on this road that was supposed to begin by the second week of December, is still pending.

According to official sources, the cost estimate quoted by the company cannot be met by the department.

The BMP that conventionally spends around Rs 200 per sq meter for asphalting works, has been confronted with a heavy sum of Rs 600 per sq meter quoted by Wirtgen.

Hence after ‘serious’ rethinking and reconsideration, the BMP has finally decided to adopt the conventional road laying method, which basically comprises re-laying asphalt on the existing road.

The project has been outsourced by the department to the Karnataka Land Army Corporation that has worked on road projects like asphalting of the Kanakapura main road, etc.

The new story is that along with 22 main roads in the City being taken up under the Rs 30 crore IT, BT sector and Flood Damage Works project, Indiranagar 100 feet road, is one among them.

Here civic works comprising of setting right the foothpaths and the drainage system has already begun.

Asphalting work will begin within a week’s time as per an official source, who said that the set deadline for the entire project was last week of February this year.

The asphalting works are scheduled only after 7 pm in the evening when there is less traffic congestion. The Indiranagar road project which is about two kilometers is said to be complete by January 30.

The officials however state that the roads if relaid under proper supervision will last as long as ten years. But, the same officials gripe about shortage of funds and manpower to carry out the works accordingly.

NOT ENOUGH HEAT

The ‘heat’, it seems, is not enough. While laying the road, the asphalt should be of a certain temperature for it to bind properly with other materials. But it isn’t happening properly. This is so because all the hot mix plants or naphtha plants are located 30-40 kilometers away from the City and by the time the mix is transported to a destination, it would have cooled down from the required 200 degree centigrade heat. As per the Pollution Control Board norms, these plants that emit highly toxic chemicals and fine dust, have to be located outside the green belt. The end result - poor quality roads..