Road Construction and Repair in Pune: Janahitwadi

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Stone, earth, bitumen and water are the major ingredients. They need to have certain characteristics specified in engineering. The other aspect is the construction must be done as per the proven rules of engineering. Workmanship plays a major role. This combination can easily solve the problem.

Any construction needs good foundation. After all entire load both static and dynamic is borne by the foundation. Special care is needed for testing clay, its behaviour after water absorption. Any person with no engineering knowledge can observe behaviour of soil where road is being constructed. Take different soils in glasses, fill it only half, shake it and then mark the level on outside of the glass. Pour enough water in the glass so water level is well above the soil in the glass. Leave this for 24 hours. Then mark the level of soil after water absorption. Increase in level is due to swelling of soil after absorption of water. This is different for different soils. Least is for washed sand. Artificial sand (finely crushed stones) also is similar to natural sand. Swelling of disintegrated soft rock (moorum) is little higher. Highest is for clay like black cotton soil.

Soil under the road plays important role in health of the road. Swelling of soil crates cracks in the road. In rainy season water seeps through these cracks and the soil swells more and result is widening of cracks. Disaster starts and the road is full of potholes. To avoid this, soil below road must have the least water absorption capacity and the least swelling characteristic. Clay up to certain depth must be replaced with sand or moorum to avoid swelling of soil under the road. Naturally degradable material like grass, tree leaf also are dangerous for road.

During construction (or repair) of any road plenty of water is must. This allows better compaction when rolled. In fact except while making concrete or mortar, use of water should be liberal. Rolling is the next important factor. Rolling makes the layer cohesive. This not only gives strength to road but also obstructs water flow downwards. A compact layers make the road strong in improves impregnability. Premix bitumen is basically a water proofing layer. This does not give much strength directly but helps in retaining strength by not allowing water to flow in layers and soil down below. It does give smoothness to road and reduces friction and therefore reduces dynamic load on the road. However, more bitumen layers or thicker bitumen layer does not contribute to strength of road in proportion to its cost.

Workmanship is highly desirable. Water is friend during construction but the worst foe after construction. This means care must be taken to ensure whatever drops of water fall on road must flow to safe place then guided properly far away from the road. Proper slope across road (Camber) is must. There shall be any spots on road where water gets collected. Collected water either evaporates or finds it way down below. whatever water absorbed by road causes deterioration even in the best road.

Road state needs not only precautions during construction but also during use. Rougher the use means higher the construction cost. Hence it is equal responsibility of the citizens who make use of road. Washing or cars on road, allowing water to flow from compounds to road, leakage of water pipes and serge lines and alike contribute adversely to life of the road. Applying brakes of vehicle suddenly not only wear out tyres but damage the bitumen layer. Heavy vehicles running at high speed generate vibrations and fine cracks. Cracks widen with more rough use.

Moral of the story is both who construct and use road are responsible for disaster. Its law of nature. If one holds hand on fire knowingly or unknowingly the result is same. Burning!

To avoid pothole scattered road, Engineers, Architects, Traffic controllers, Contractors, Municipal authority and citizens all have a role to play. Engineers take care in structural design, material quality and workman ship, Architects in consultation with traffic controllers in utility design-regulating and controlling traffic, Contractors ensuring construction true to engineering practices, Municipal Authorities keeping their eyes and ears open to public and others to ensure things get streamlined. Citizens need to make proper use of road and bring out any thing they find incorrect to notice of the municipal corporation. Municipal authorities must investigate and take corrective actions. In addition this should be given publicity in their offices and keep it open to all citizens. This may be enforced for all facilities provided by the municipal authority.

It is a common practice followed in most of the road repair works i.e. spread a premix bitumen and roll inadequately. This is like applying bandage on deep cut full of puss. It would appear nice from outside and citizens may give credit for speedy repair but the wound would reappear even after scanty rainfall or water thrown by citizens. This is definitely not the solution. This is against the good engineering norms and practice. Every one must respect engineering rules. If the wound is deep it needs filling from the depth. It needs reconstruction of portion of road so affected.

We must have a procedure to follow for road use and repairs. Co-operation of citizens would be available if municipal authorities educate them and ensure strict compliance. This does need strict compliance from the municipal corporation first. Sample rules should be some thing like this:-

1. Road repairs must be planned much in advance. Past experience is very much useful in this. Assessment of extent and quantity of road repairs should be based on past experience and tender and contract action should be taken in advance. This will not only save time in contracting but also would give most appropriate rates for repairs i.e. their shall be savings in expenditure. The other aspect is where work is not planned properly mistakes and inconsistency does appear in tender documents. This leads to conflicts and litigation. The end results in most cases is never satisfactory for works not properly planned. The tender document should specify the repair procedure and approximate quantities with limits for variations. The items of works should include excavation of earth specifying expected strata and in layers, making different heaps for the excavated soil such as premix bitumen, stone metal in water bound macadam, stone metal of coarse aggregate and soil underneath. Soil with high capacity for water absorption and swelling needs to be dumped at a specified location. Refilling should be with sand or at least moorum in layers not exceeding 15 centimetre. Each layer must be compacted adequately with road roller as per engineering norms. Excavated coarse stone metal, stone metal and premix bitumen should be reused in various layers below the final layer of premix bitumen. The final layer must be with fresh stone metal. Stone metal, sand, moorum cost increases during rainy season. Therefore all these must be collected well in advance. Proper storage space is needed for this and the municipal corporation should allot some space on outskirts of the city area. A time schedule should be prepared and strictly followed. It must be ensured that tenders are accepted well before rainy season and contractors collect material at specified place in advance.

2. There should be soil testing and survey for the entire city to determine safe depth (i.e. building structure remains safe) for water disposal . All building owners should ensure that rainwater in their area is collected and disposed off at the depth specified.

3. Storm water drainage is very important. All water falling on the road must be carried away such that it does not wet soil below the road. Preferably this water may be channelised to safe depth in consultation with geologists.

4. Foot paths must have level related to the road. Sudden depressions, steps make it unusable by the pedestrians. Only in situations where another municipal corporation road crosses footpath the footpath should be lowered with gentle slope, say 1:40.

5. Almost all roads should have road divider. This should not only accommodate street light poles but also take care of big long life trees like banyan (It is a virtual oxygen producing factory), safeguarding blinding on account of vehicles approaching from opposite direction, enough space for 'U' turn for all vehicles expected to use the road, main lines such as water, sewer, electricity, telephone and alike.

6. Not only during construction of new roads but also during repairs all fillings and natural soil under the road must be tested for water absorption. All soil which does not match specifications must be removed totally and road be re-constructed, as described earlier.

7. As described earlier filling below road must be with non swelling earth.

8. Whether in new construction or repair engineering practice is same. soil, stone metal, sand, moorum, bitumen must be as per specifications and compacted fully. The road must have adequate camber and storm water drain must carry all water away from road.

9. Stability of road depends much on the foundation made and not on the premix bitumen layer. bitumen layer is water proofing for road. It improves strength indirectly and provides smooth surface.

10. After last layer of water bound macadam is constructed the road should be opened for regular traffic for a few months. If it is during non-rainy season water should be sprayed regularly. If the road passes this test, then the construction is reasonably good. Minor defects should be corrected regularly. However if there are pot holes formed, it gives warning of the danger. Major reconstruction would be needed for such constructions. May be certain portion or whole of the road needs reconstruction. After the road passes this test, water bound macadam surface be properly finished followed by premix carpet. Bitumen works should be preferably done in summer. This ensures proper workability state of bitumen. Bitumen must evenly flow all round the stone metal and ensure waterproofing of the road. Final seal coat is the last layer of road construction.

11. This is the method for repair of existing roads also. If condition is not too bad then repairs may be in small patches. These patches may look bad. but care should be taken to apply final layers of premix and seal coat only when no more defects are observed.

This site gives some more information about municipal facilities provided to citizens. You may check those too.

I have one more suggestion. danger level of rives had been marked on various maps. This should be marked on ground with a concrete footpath of adequate width (say 1 or 1.5m). No construction be allowed between this footpath and river. No construction means nothing temporary even. However this place may be used for agriculture, parking, play grounds etc. provided not of gram of construction material is dumped here from outside. Police should be made responsible to keep watch and ensure the same. In case any structure is found the same may be destroyed with the help of municipal corporation and the expenditure plus fine recovered from the persons responsible for construction. Flood affected persons from this region should not be given any help except on account of humanity (food, medicine, shelter during rains).

I have 1 more suggestion for Punites. Making hue and cry over a specific issue is needed. However spirit should be to find a solution and not to pin point responsibility and punish some one or a group. Normally result of this approach is litigation and both parties trying to impress on other how the other party has gone wrong. Such an approach would never find solution to problem and even if found it will be short lived and highly uneconomical (Municipal Corporation fixed unachievable targets for road repairs, contractors quoted high rates, targets were never achieved in practice but money had been spent during rainy season of year 2005). Another important aspect is Nagar Sevak (corporators) should be made responsible for all facilities provided in their respective constituency. Citizens should judge corporators from their performance and then vote for them. Corporators should not be allowed to canvass prior to election. Their work only be considered as their canvassing.

If approach of municipal corporation (i.e. elected representatives and the employees) and citizens become positive all services shall be excellent.

, ,      ,        .    ,     .       .       .     .         .     .  ,  ,  ,   ,  ,         .      .     .        .        .   5-6           24   . 3-4      .       .      .             .

    .              .           .          .       .          .                 .            .      .            .

  (  )  ,      .     . ,     , ''     .            .        ,      .          .         .          .         .                .               .     .        .          .

          .       .         .   , , ,   ,    (, ,  )  ,       ,               .     .

       ,        .       .          .            .      .       .     .           .          .               .       .                .        .

      ,    .          .                    .

      (),              .      .       ()         . ()      .         .              .        ()     .

        .    ,     .           .      .     .       .        ,                .             .       .  ,      !          .

          .          :-

1.          .    ,           .            .        .        , -  ,   ,       £Ö ,     ,    ,    ,  , -   ,     ,  15           .        .     .         .

2.           .         ,            .          .

3.           .         . 100  500     .        .

4.       .       (  ) .        .         .

5.         .        .       ,  ()  ,  //   ,          .

6.             .               .           .               .      ,   ,      .        .      .

7.       .      .           ()   .              .

8.            .      ,              .        .                 .       .     .           .        .      .        .            .             .

9.        .   ,   ,  ,          .

10.            .      .        .                         .            .

11.     .         (  ).    ,          .

     ÊÖ ¾Öê²ÖÃÖÖ‡Ô™ü¾Ö¸ü ‡ŸÖ¸ü¡Ö †ÖÆêü.

     .            300 . .    .      ,     ,   .     .          .          .           .      .     ,   ,     .    ,          .          .

  ( -)     .    .      .     .           .     .   .            .  ,      .  ,   ,        ,     ,     ,   ,   .     ,         .        .        ''

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