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‘Low temp hamper carpeting, UT civic body must prioritise roads’: Officials as harsh winter nears

Officials have demanded more contractors be added to speed up the incomplete jobs.

3 min readNov 22, 2025 10:18 AM IST

Road work has begun in Chandigarh (Representative image: Unsplash).

With road carpeting an intricate task in low temperatures, Chandigarh will face difficulty with only a few days left for extreme winters thus calling for prioritising critical roads that demand immediate attention, officials said Friday.

A former nominated councillor, Surinder Bahga, told The Indian Express, “Winter is almost here and recarpeting will be difficult. The UT civic body and engineering wing should prioritise… critical roads/areas that need immediate attention.”

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Inderjit Ghai, an engineer and tricity-based road consultant, told The Indian Express, “As per norms, the road work should not be done if the air temperature is below 10 degree Celsius. The authorities should avoid laying during rain, fog, dust storms or when the base is damp. So much so that even the same should not be laid when wind speed exceeds 40 kmph.”

He also said, “Road construction, especially asphalt paving… is difficult when temperatures drop below 10°C (50°F). At temperatures below 5°C (40°F), it becomes even more challenging.”
With Chandigarh going for bitumen-based roads only, the road construction will be difficult for another reason.

Ghai said that for bitumen-based road construction, the ideal temperature is above 15°C (59°F) for laying and compaction. The bitumen becomes too viscous if the temperature drops below 10°C (50°F), he said.

For concrete roads, however, the American Concrete Institute recommends the concrete temperature should be above 10°C (50°F) for proper placement and curing. Temperatures below 5°C (40°F) can significantly slow down the curing process, he said.

“Infact Asphalt and bitumen become more viscous and difficult to work with in low temperatures, affecting their binding properties. Low temperatures make it challenging to achieve proper compaction, which can lead to reduced density and stability of the road surface,” the road consultant said.

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Vinod Vashisht, Convener, City Forum of Residents Welfare Organisations (CFORWO) said that more contractors will be added to amp up the work. “Generally road carpeting is done in dry and hot weather conditions… while winter is already here… It is suggested more contractors be added to speed up the incomplete jobs,” he said.

A senior official of the civic body, requesting anonymity, said they are gradually recarpeting the roads on the basis of the priority. “Based on a rigorous assessment which has classified roads into three distinct categories of degradation — very very poor, very poor and poor — the road work has already begun. We have been given an initial contract of Rs 40 crores which prioritises the most urgent repairs. Works for the very very poor category, covering V4, V5 and V6 category roads, have already been allotted to contractors and work is on,” he said.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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