We must look at viable options in road construction: Baithe

Imphal, November 17: A slew of new and innovative technologies in roads construction could hold the key to the thriving pineapple business in the state, which has been under the rough weather owing to the dilapidated roads. Bad roads have prevented smooth movement of pineapples from some districts of the state. The Congress-led Manipur Government, much like its counterpart in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh may have an opportunity in new, innovative technologies in roads construction.

Mr Thangso Baite, Member of Parliament, Indian National Congress said that the government must look at new and advanced technology to construct good quality roads. The Public Works Department in the state must also look for viable options to build good roads in order to ensure better connectivity. “New technology roads are the need of the hour which can help us deal with the deteriorating condition of the roads. We must learn from Assam which has adopted green technology and constructed all weather roads thereby improving the lives of the people”, said Baithe.

Incidentally, Assam is the first state in the country to have adopted the innovative cold mix technology for rural roads construction. The State PWD Minister Ms Ajanta Neog recently launched the Green Roads Mission in Assam, which is aimed to provide impetus to the green technologies of road construction including cold mix.“Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have shown the country a way of how new technologies can both expedite rural roads construction as well as help the country get rid of unnecessary carbon emissions. I am hopeful Manipur with its progressive policies will have a hard, close look at this technology,” said Dr Navneet Anand, President, Fijeeha.

National Rural Road Development Agency (NRRDA) of Ministry of Rural Development in its report has mentioned that road construction and repair work done using hot mix is often sub-standard and there is a need to use cold mix for the same. Cold mix is an environment-friendly, pollution-free and sustainable technology recognized world over for its efficacy. It is also far superior than the conventional hot mix technology which is clearly degrading our environment.

Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has been constantly striving to push new and sustainable technologies in road construction across the country. Recently, it has given an exclusive license to Bitchem Asphalt Technologies Limited to promote cold mix technology in the northeast region and demonstration and large scale implementation is currently being done. In an effort to steer this objective, the Public Works Roads Department (PWRD) this month launched a unique Green Roads Mission for Assam, in association with Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi & Bitchem Asphalt Technologies Limited.

Bitchem has also conducted successful trials in Sikkim and Jharkhand. The company through its in-house lab research develops Hi-quality and superior performance materials which provide increased road life and maintenance free pavements. In this technology, no heating is required which helps in promoting Green Jobs culture in the State and the country.

The terrain in and around 70 percent of the North East Region is hilly and mountainous and the entire region gets very heavy rainfall ranging from 2500 mm to 6000 mm which makes communication difficult. Unlike plains, the construction of roads in hilly areas is different, extremely difficult and much expensive. It is important to innovate and use new technologies for faster and enduring roll out of roads.

Posted by Unknown on 22:45. Filed under breaking news . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0