The 14.26 km of roads developed under the first phase of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), eight years ago, will be re-laid soon.
Along with this, damaged stretches in 14.76 km, developed in the second phase, have also been recommended for re-laying.
The decision was taken on the basis of the bump integrator test (for measuring road roughness), the Benkelman deflection test (the procedure for measuring the deflection of a flexible pavement), and inspection by the officials of the Spain-based Elsamex SA, specialist in road maintenance and operation.
Anilkumar Pandala, project director, Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Ltd. (TRDCL), the concessionaire of CRIP, told The Hindu that the blueprint for work, estimated at Rs.8 crore, had been submitted to Kerala Road Fund Board, the Special Purpose Vehicle under the Public Works Department, for approval.
The R.R. Lamp-Kowdiar, Asan Square-Airport, and the SP Fort-Eenchakkal stretches, developed in 2006-2007 in the first phase will be re-surfaced based on the requirements and findings of the tests.
Although the entire stretch will be micro-surfaced, it has been found that close to five km of road needs repairs in patches. ‘Billing’ will be done to prevent damage of adjoining areas and a layer of 4 cm bituminos concrete will be provided to these patches before micro-surfacing is done to ensure smooth ride. The Airport-Chakka stretch, though found relatively pothole-free in the tests, will be micro-surfaced as some areas have suffered wear and tear because of heavy traffic. Portions on the Pattom-Kowdiar, Kowdiar-Peroorkada, Vellayambalam-Sasthamangalam stretches, damaged by digging to repair pipe bursts, shifting of utilities, and waterlogging, too will be micro-surfaced.
Micro-surfacing is being taken up by TRDCL since cracks in these spots, caused by water seepage, could lead to potholes in four to five years during the contract period. The problem stretches will be given a 2.5-cm semi-dense bituminous concrete layer. Above that 2 to 6 mm micro-surfacing will be carried out depending on requirement. Road markings would be given a fresh coat, the TRDCL official said. To be taken up by TRDCL under a 15-year maintenance contact, the road re-surfacing will be done during night and will take nearly a month for completion.
