‘Newly built roads will have protection for 20 years’
In the city of Srinagar, India—the largest city and the summer capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir—Jammu and Kashmir administration started work on three vital roads using Rigid Concrete Pavements (RCP) for the first time. Officials said the sub-project is fully sponsored by the World Bank-funded JTFRP (Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project) and was kick-started in September this year.
Click to enlarge trio of Srinagar, India maps.
Mohammad Azhar Ishaq, Public Relation Officer-Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (JKERA) and Surinder Singh Sodhi, Junior Engineer-JKERA, each said that they have started repairing work on three major roads in the city using the Rigid Concrete Pavement (RCP) method. “Three roads, including Humhama to Peerbagh, Ram Bagh to Civil Secretariat, and Eastern Foreshore Road (Brari Nambal road),” said Azhar.
They discussed that RCP will last for 20-30 years, while the conventional flexible pavement is more susceptible to damages during waterlogging and in winters and get damage nearly every year.
Azhar said the road portion is being upgraded with laying of 3 layers comprising:
• Granular sub-Base (GSB)
• Dry Lean Concrete (DLC)
• Pavement Quality Concrete (PQC)
“This is the first time that RCP technology is being used on a large-scale to upgrade roads in the valley. More roads in Srinagar may be upgraded with RCP in future,” Azhar said.
Click to enlarge. Photo: Rising Kashmir Online News
Sodhi said, “This technology lasts much longer and therefore is economically beneficial too. It will make roads durable and flood resilient, adding it is more economical compared to normal blacktopping which expands in summers and contracts during winters. Such roads are more durable, long life and low maintenance,”
The technology is being used as a long-term protection against the recurring damages due to bad weather conditions in Kashmir. Sodhi said the maintenance cost of rigid concrete pavement roads is very low compared to normal roads. He further said that the project will directly benefit thousands of people living on both the sides of the road that include Rambagh, Solina, Allochi Bagh, Tulsi Bagh, Hazuri Bagh, Magarmal Bagh, Saraibala, Shaheed Gunj, Maharaja Bazar, Bakshi Stadium, Batmaloo, and many other parts of Srinagar.
The locals thanked the state administration for the move and said it will be very beneficial for them!
Nazir Beig, a local resident, said that RCP is a foreign technology, but a tried and trusted technology that will last for years. He said, “This is one of the best technologies for road construction. The roads constructed using the technique will last for a long time. We thank the administration for bringing the technology in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Another resident named Danish Mir added that RCP technology will protect the roads against the recurrent damages caused due to the frequent waterlogging during the torrential rains in many areas. “The RCP technology in road building is being used in the flood-affected area and will protest the roads there for years. We thank the admonition for the move.”
RCP technology is being used as long term protection against the recurrent damages caused due to the frequent water logging during the torrential rains and to make the vital road stretch leading up to the Srinagar International Airport more durable and flood resilient.
Similarly, another high-traffic road in the city, that is also vulnerable to recurrent damages due to waterlogging, is also being upgraded using rigid concrete pavement technology. (ANI)
For the “Rising Kashmir” Online News article, please go to: http://risingkashmir.com/news/admin-begins-rcp-upgrade-for-vital-sgr-roads-
For the Big News Network Online News out of Dubai UAE, please go to: https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/266599659/j-k-administration-introduces-rigid-concrete-pavements
Maps: Wikipedia: bifurcated of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 shown in red. Claimed, but not administered portions shaded; Wikipedia: View of Dal Lake and the city of Srinagar from Shankaracharya Hill; Wikipedia: A map of the disputed Kashmir region showing the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir; Wikimedia Commons; Google Earth: Screenshot of Google map of Srinagar, India