C Shivakumar @ Chennai:
The sand crisis in Tamil Nadu, which has already hit the construction sector, is now affecting the road construction projects and Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allowed contractors to go in for bituminous roads with a shelf life of 15 years.
“Instead of rigid pavement or concrete roads, we are going in for flexible pavement,” said Chief general manager Alok Deepankar (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
Rigid pavement and Flexible pavement are the two types of road pavement design methods to withstand the load acting from the wheel tyres. While, rigid pavements have a concrete layer at the top, the base course and soil subgrade are under it and it has a shelf life of 30 years. In flexible pavement, the road would be bituminous and it has a shelf life of 15 years, said Deepankar.
The decision to change from rigid to flexible pavement in ongoing contracts was taken after the difficulty faced by contractors to procure sand due to restrictions posed by Madras High court.
Deepankar, however, parried away queries on which all stretches have been affected due to sand crisis. “The order has been passed on June 21. We will be evaluating and will get a clear picture after a month,” he said.
“If any contractor decides to change the rigid pavement to flexible pavement due to shortage of sand or other materials, he will have to pass on 30 per cent of the rigid pavement cost in that contract to authority,” said Deepankar.
Ruling out that road projects will be hit by the sand crisis, he said that there is availability of m-sand and it can be used for the project.
“The state government is planning to import sand and this could also tide away the sand crisis,” the official said.
Interestingly, Kamarajar Port is set to handle the sand cargo and necessary arrangements have been made at the multi-cargo berth, Chennai and Kamarajar Port chairman P Raveendran said.
“We have got all clearances and are waiting for the arrival of the vessels,” he said.
However, the bigger question remains whether the state has given the work order for import of import of five lakh tonnes of natural river sand.
Factfile:
1. After difficulties faced by contractors in implementing road projects due to sand crisis, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has agreed to go in for bitumen instead of concrete roads.
2. This would mean that the shelf life of those road projects will be of 15 years instead of 30 years.
3. National Highway Authority hopes that import of sand will tide away the sand crisis. It is also looking at m-sand
The sand crisis in Tamil Nadu, which has already hit the construction sector, is now affecting the road construction projects and Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allowed contractors to go in for bituminous roads with a shelf life of 15 years.
“Instead of rigid pavement or concrete roads, we are going in for flexible pavement,” said Chief general manager Alok Deepankar (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
Rigid pavement and Flexible pavement are the two types of road pavement design methods to withstand the load acting from the wheel tyres. While, rigid pavements have a concrete layer at the top, the base course and soil subgrade are under it and it has a shelf life of 30 years. In flexible pavement, the road would be bituminous and it has a shelf life of 15 years, said Deepankar.
The decision to change from rigid to flexible pavement in ongoing contracts was taken after the difficulty faced by contractors to procure sand due to restrictions posed by Madras High court.
Deepankar, however, parried away queries on which all stretches have been affected due to sand crisis. “The order has been passed on June 21. We will be evaluating and will get a clear picture after a month,” he said.
“If any contractor decides to change the rigid pavement to flexible pavement due to shortage of sand or other materials, he will have to pass on 30 per cent of the rigid pavement cost in that contract to authority,” said Deepankar.
Ruling out that road projects will be hit by the sand crisis, he said that there is availability of m-sand and it can be used for the project.
“The state government is planning to import sand and this could also tide away the sand crisis,” the official said.
Interestingly, Kamarajar Port is set to handle the sand cargo and necessary arrangements have been made at the multi-cargo berth, Chennai and Kamarajar Port chairman P Raveendran said.
“We have got all clearances and are waiting for the arrival of the vessels,” he said.
However, the bigger question remains whether the state has given the work order for import of import of five lakh tonnes of natural river sand.
Factfile:
1. After difficulties faced by contractors in implementing road projects due to sand crisis, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has agreed to go in for bitumen instead of concrete roads.
2. This would mean that the shelf life of those road projects will be of 15 years instead of 30 years.
3. National Highway Authority hopes that import of sand will tide away the sand crisis. It is also looking at m-sand
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