To ensure the provision of high-quality, pothole-free roads for the residents of Thane, extensive road works are currently underway at various locations in the city. The State Government has allocated a generous sum of ₹605 crore to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for this purpose. The experts from the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) recently conducted a comprehensive inspection of the first phase of all the ongoing road works.
On Saturday, June 3, the TMC organiaed a workshop at the Civil Research Center, bringing together engineers and contractors associated with the TMC. The event was graced by the presence of Abhijit Bangar, the Chief of the civic body, Prof. K.V. Krishna Rao, Deputy Director of I.I.T. Mumbai, Prof. Solomon Debarma, TMC's City Engineer Prashant Songra, suburban engineer Ramdas Shinde, and several others.
Essential tips given by IIT experts in the workshop
The workshop was conducted under the guidance of experts from IIT, focusing on various important subjects related to road works. These subjects included recognising the quality of materials used in road construction, assessing the quality of work, implementing quality control measures, adopting proper working methods, conducting necessary tests for roads, considering the impact of environmental factors and temperature, addressing other matters relevant to ensuring quality work, and analyzing technical aspects.
Furthermore, the workshop also aimed to address the technical difficulties encountered by engineers while working on road projects. During the inspection, Prof. K.V. Krishna Rao, the Deputy Director of IIT Mumbai, expressed his observations. He acknowledged the satisfactory execution of certain works while also noting technical errors in some of the projects. In order to rectify these issues, necessary corrections were made to the areas that required improvement and where technical guidelines were not adhered to.
He emphasised that fulfilling these requirements is crucial to maintain the expected quality of the road. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of cutting the road at a specific distance within twelve hours of filling the concrete to prevent potential cracking. Moreover, it was noted that after the construction of a mastic road, if traffic passes over it, the road surface becomes smooth; otherwise, it remains rough. To address this, technical advice was provided during the workshop, emphasizing the need to ensure that traffic is directed to alternate lanes during transportation.
In a recent development, the TMC has appointed IIT for a third-party technical audit of road works.
TMC chief gives details
Bangar stated, "It is crucial to construct roads according to the recommendations provided by IIT experts. Core cutting has been carried out at 282 locations across the city. It is imperative that all these samples undergo testing at either the IIT laboratory or other laboratories under the supervision of IIT. The selection of core cutting locations should be determined by a third party rather than the individuals who executed the work."
He further mentioned that the asphalt and mastic works are currently in their final stages, while the UTWT (unbound, treated, well-graded aggregate) and concrete works will be completed within the next few days. Emphasizing the need for prioritizing the finishing touches, he stated that the work will be considered truly completed once the road marking is done using thermoplastic paint.
