'Thin topping is more economical for Bangalore roads'

Concrete roads will be the future of Bangalore after the chief minister announced that he will be constructing more concrete roads across the city and state. Now in an interview to DNA, MN Sreehari, adviser to the Government of Karnataka and for traffic, transportation & infrastructure, says thin white topping and ultra thin white topping will be more economical to city roads.

Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa has announced that more concrete roads will be laid across the city and state. What do you say on this?
This is an extremely good move if the government is going to start constructing concrete roads especially on the roads which are not worth for vehicular movement. This will extend the sustainability of the road for a longer period compared to the Bitumen overlay.

There are a few roads in the city which have concrete overlay on the bitumen road. Will this also give the same sustainability like concrete roads?
Yes, thin white topping and ultra thin white toppings which are laid on the existing Bitumen asphalate will be more economical and will enhance the sustainability of the road from 5 years to 15 years
minimum.

What are the advantages of concrete roads or white toppings apart from the durability compared to Butamin overlay or black top?
Bituminous roads have a life span of five years and they require frequent maintenance due to wear and tear and water logging and potholes. Rutting is normally faced by bitumen road users whereas concrete roads have a durability of 25 to 30 years with little maintenance required. It has also the ability to maintain surface grades and it is used on airport pavements.

Is road cutting going to be a problem once the concrete overlay is done on the roads?
Road cutting will be comparatively more difficult on the concrete roads than on Butamin roads since concrete is stronger. They have to make prior arrangements on the corner of the roads. Otherwise, it needs suitable blades to cut the road. This is in a way good for city roads as civic agencies cannot cut the road as easily as on existing roads.

How are the commuters benefited by concrete roads and white toppings?
Most of the commuters suffer from the rutted and potholed roads which have proven to be nightmare. This is due to bituminous pavements.

By constructing concrete pavements or white topping on the existing bituminous ones, these problems can be overcome and commuters will have smooth and user-friendly roads. Such roads are also skid-resistant during rains and save fuel.