Civic bodies sit on pothole repair tech

The Nu-Phalt Infra- Red Recycling Pothole Repair System, which has been accredited by the Indian Road Congress and approved by CRRI and BBA UK, could have been the right solution for the deplorable corporation roads of the Capital.

The Nu-Phalt Infra- Red Recycling Pothole Repair System, which has been accredited by the Indian Road Congress and approved by CRRI and BBA UK, could have been the right solution for the deplorable corporation roads of the Capital.

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Though the civic bodies acquired one of these machines and got results, they have not renewed its contract for a year. The PWD is already using seven of these machines, which ensure minimum traffic disruption and are eco-friendly.

According to Vikas Jalan, managing director of Trans Metalite India Limited, business associates of Nu-Phalt, UK, this technology is ideal for Delhi roads.

“This equipment repairs a pothole of 2m x 1m and the complete process from start to final compaction is completed in about 15-20 minutes. Everything required is on a single mini-truck and it has a very short reaction time so that the affected road does not need to be closed for long,” Jalan said.

“The instant patching system does not require the existing asphalt to be removed, gives a monolithic thermal bond between the old and new asphalt, thus resulting in a seamless permanent patch and actual restoration of road surface, also making the process green and eco-friendly,” Jalan said.

He said if regular repairs are carried out by this method, the relay or overlay on the road surface can be delayed by at least 2-3 years.

A senior PWD official said this pothole repair system has made the process quite smooth. “Conventionally, you just put a patch. It becomes odd and uneven. This machine uses recycling method on the existing surface and thereby the end result is even,” the official said.

When contacted, a senior south civic body official confirmed that even though the mechanism was acquired by the MCD in 2010, it is not being used for the past one year.

“After trifurcation, the South corporation got the machine. The contract was over a year back. We need to tender it again, the process of which is already on,” he said.