This is why the roads in Hyderabad are bad

The deplorable state of roads in the city are due to bitumen failure, water-logging, and improper drainage system, concluded a study undertaken by civil engineering students and faculty.

After heavy rains swamped the city in September last year, which extensively damaged roads in the Greater Hyderabad region, Smart Infrastructural Engineering Services Trust took up a survey identify the problem areas and provide solutions to the same.

Around 150 students, divided into 40 teams, from various engineering colleges in the city took part in the study. They spent more than 10 days surveying 50 kilometres of roads.

“The lifespan of roads should be 20 years but in our city they do not even last one season,” said P. Surya Prakash, founder, Smart Infrastructural Engineering Services Trust, and mentor of the teams. “We observed that the engineering standards were going down. Most of the roads are not connected to drainage pipes. The road surface is not proper and the slope is not uniform at many points. Technical approach and best practises are missing while laying roads, and resurfacing is being taken up as a temporary measure or under pressure, which is causing more harm.”

According to Mr. Prakash, instead of spending crores every year for repairing roads, a long-term plan was required. The report was recently submitted to the officials of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Based on the study, it was pointed out that laying roads in a hurried manner, failing to maintain high temperature of bitumen, and not adhering to thickness standards have resulted in decreased longevity.

Listing out remedial measures, the member suggested the use of asphalt mastic pads over precast concrete slabs as a reliable technology suitable for city roads. Assigning a qualified engineering team to inspect and carry out works every summer and focusing on procuring materials properly were the other suggestions submitted to the city’s civic body.