The Highways Department will soon complete temporary restoration of 320 km of roads in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu divisions. The divisions have a combined length of 4,800 km of roads of which Chennai city division alone has 256 km of roads.
Sources in the department said that cold mix comprising bituminous mix, which is a mix of bitumen and aggregate of size 12 mm and 6 mm, was being used to fill potholes and patches on roads.
“Since there is a lot of moisture in the atmosphere and the road surfaces are not completely dry, we are using a cold mix that would bind with the surface quickly. The cold mix obtained from the central hot mix plant would be at atmospheric temperature,” said a source.
In Chennai city, rain in the last few weeks had caused 2,756 potholes on roads maintained by the Highways Department. Of these, 1,734 potholes had been filled and the 16 km of roads that had suffered damages to surface had been re-laid.
A total of 55.90 km had been damaged due to waterlogging and vehicles driving over the surface.
The department is using its pothole fixer machine at Koyambedu, Vadapalani, Kilpauk, Vepery, Kolathur, Chromepet, Pallavaram, Pallikaranai, Sholinganallur and Puzhuthivakkam junctions.
Another source explained that after December 15, work will be taken up again to ensure that the patchwork matched the original riding surface.
“As part of temporary restoration in some places, we have used concrete, bricks in some and cold mix in others. In the next phase, cold milling would be done,” he added.
Minister for Highways and Public Works E.V. Velu inspected the work being carried out in various parts of the city.
