Over Rs 100 cr go down UT’s pothole-riddled roads

They had also suggested a system in which the cost be lesser, along with the appropriate specifications.
The NITTTR was hired by the then Municipal Commissioner KK Yadav after the roads began to wear out too early. The NITTTR was tasked with ensuring tailor made solutions for each sector road, strengthening of roads, providing economical solutions and monitoring quality control.

For example, in one single project that was allotted for a concrete road in motor market for more than Rs 1 crore, the NITTTR provided a revised set of specifications.

Later, it was found that after providing the same, it resulted in saving more than Rs 56 lakh, as it was allotted only for Rs 43.65 lakh.

There are many more stretches where the NITTTR had suggested that scarification be omitted after allocations and works were executed.

Usually, when a road wears out, the engineering wing would mindlessly go in to getting a 30 mm layer of bitumen laid on the roads, without actually checking if it could work well with a thin layer of the same on the surface and save public funds as well.

Even with the maintenance management system that was suggested by the NITTTR, the cost comparison was done between the existing maintenance practice used by the MC and the one suggested by the NITTTR. The two had a lot of difference.

The cost comparison between the two practices clearly showed that the existing maintenance practice used by the MC Chandigarh spends around Rs 84 lakh in maintaining a kilometer long stretch.

However, if NITTTR’s suggested maintenance system was put to practice, the civic body would have to spend only Rs 58 lakh, over a period of 20 years. By using the existing maintenance practices, the road agency spent about 1.31 times more than what was suggested.

“Officials of the civic body that carry out a 30 mm bitumen coating for Rs 252 per square meter. The same can be done in 15 mm coating, with just Rs 148 per square meter,” a senior official from the NITTTR said.

Over Rs 100 crore spent go deep down the potholes
Over the years the Chandigarh Administration kept giving repeated grants worth crores for the roads to the Chandigarh civic body. However, the funds seem to have gone deep down the potholes of the City Beautiful.

In 2018, the Chandigarh Administration released Rs 50 crore for the recarpeting of roads. The situation was so grim that despite spending Rs 50.73 crore on the roads, craters and pits were visible still.

In 2019 December again, the Chandigarh Administration under then Administrator VP Singh Badnore gave another grant of Rs 50 crore to the civic body. The season being winter, the work couldn’t be carried out immediately. Later, in March 2020, the officials said that they had to start the recarpeting work, which was further postponed due to Covid.

Over Rs 100 crore have been spent on Chandigarh roads in the last five years on recarpeting, but the funds spent are not visible at all, considering the rutted roads which have been giving a bone rattling experience to commuters.

Vinod Vashisht, Convener, City Forum of Residents Welfare organisation said, “In many parts of the city, roads fail to last even for three years probably due to absence of any quality checks into regular practice while road carpeting works are going on. As of now city has its own C&D (Construction & Demolition) Waste Plant and the authorities should start using C&D produce which is meant for road carpeting works and save on huge costs incurred in road works.”