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

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.

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.

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