Mumbai: BMC tries three ways to repair potholes at Wadala

Workers fix a pothole using geo-polymer solution at Anik Wadala Link Road near Bhakti Park on Friday. Pics/Ashish Raje

The BMC is exploring three new methods to repair potholes and has also decided to survey roads and surface bad patches before the next monsoon. The civic body, as an experiment, filled three potholes at Anik Wadala Link Road using three different methods to find out which one is more sustainable.

An official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said, "We currently use cold mix which has its own limitations. It is used to fill potholes on asphalt roads and is quite effective, but it needs time to dry. However, as traffic is allowed soon after, vehicles pull out the material from the holes. So, the civic body has decided to explore other methods."

For now, BMC has decided to use paver blocks to fill the holes for instant relief. "We will repair potholes with paver blocks as workers can repair the road even during rain," said Deputy Municipal Commissioner Ulhas Mahale. He added, "But it is not a permanent solution, so we are exploring new methods with different types of concrete. We will see results in two months. If it is satisfactory, we will start using it from next year."

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The three different methods that the BMC is looking into are geo-polymer, rapid hardening concrete and M-600 concrete. The first one is a polymer base solution without cement and the curing period is 2 hours, which will help restore traffic movement quickly. "This method costs around Rs 5,000 per square metre, as compared to Rs 3,500 er sqm for cold mix," said Mahale.

"Rapid hardening concrete, which is used for construction of dams, costs more at Rs 23,000 per cubic metre. The curing period is 6 hours," said an official. He added, "M-600 concrete, a traditional concrete that costs Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per sqm, takes 6 days to cure. As it is not possible to keep the road closed for traffic for six days, a steel plate will be placed after repairing the potholes."

Meanwhile, BMC has also decided to survey roads to identify the bad patches before the monsoon. "If we repair or resurface a bad patch before monsoon it will give relief," Mahale said. Civic activist Santosh Gupta said, "Instead of spending money on repairing potholes or experimenting, the BMC should make the roads of better quality. It will save taxpayers' money."

Rs 5,000
Cost (per square metre) to repair potholes using geo-polymer solution