Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The municipal corporation has purchased a state-of-the-art machine using foreign technology to fill potholes. The machine, which cost ₹1.60 crore, has filled more than 300 potholes across the city over the past month. During this period, the civic body incurred an expenditure of only ₹5 lakh.
The potholes are filled using cold asphalt, and the quality of repairs has been found to be better than earlier methods. Departments such as the public works department (PWD) and maharashtra industries development corporation (MIDC) have also begun requesting the municipal corporation to provide them with the machine.
Earlier, roads in the city were largely constructed using asphalt. However, over the past two decades, the growing use of cement concrete roads led contractors to shut down asphalt plants and shift to cement plants. Every year, the municipal corporation had to search for asphalt contractors to fill potholes, resulting in extremely high costs. Crores of rupees were paid to contractors, yet the quality of repairs remained poor.
Taking this into account, municipal commissioner G Sreekanth decided to purchase an advanced pothole-filling machine. The vehicle, developed using foreign technology, was procured a month ago at a cost of ₹1.60 crore. Company officials and staff have been operating the machine on a depot basis for the past month. Using this machine, 10 to 15 small and large potholes are repaired daily. In the last month alone, more than 300 potholes have been filled, said executive engineer (mechanical) Amol Kulkarni.
Features of the machine
The machine is equipped with an air pump that first cleans the pothole using pressurised air. With the press of a button, gravel is released, followed by cold asphalt. A third button releases a mixture of gravel and asphalt into the pothole. The machine is also fitted with a pressure roller. Once repaired, the gravel and asphalt do not come loose for several years.
Rising demand for the machine
Videos showing the advanced pothole-filling process have gone viral, leading to increased demand for the machine from government departments such as the PWD and MIDC. However, it is learnt that the municipal corporation has declined to provide the machine.