Shimla, Jan 13 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Tuesday said two “proven” technologies will be used on a trial basis for repairing damaged roads in the state, starting with the Shoghi-Mehli road.
The Cement Grouted Bituminous Macadam and Stabilised Base Layer Technology, which the minister said were already being used in other states, will be employed in Himachal. These methods are expected to make roads stronger, able to carry heavy traffic and more resistant to water damage, thus reducing the need for repeated repairs.
Singh said the public works department (PWD) maintains around 35,000 km of roads across the state and is working to ensure safe and all-weather connectivity by adopting new techniques of repair and maintenance.
With the use of these technologies, roads are expected to last up to 10 years, lowering overall maintenance costs and providing a smoother and safer driving experience for road users.
Due to the harsh weather conditions, watelogging and weak ground conditions, about 20 per cent of the road network gets damaged repeatedly leading to frequent repairs with high maintenance costs, Singh said in a statement here.
To address the issue, new and durable road construction technologies would be adopted as a long term measure for the maintenance of roads, he said.
After discussions with the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a pilot project using these technologies is currently underway on the damaged sections of Shoghi-Mehli Road.
The minister stated that these technologies were already being used successfully by several states under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and other government schemes, as well as by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
A presentation on the new technologies and the progress of the pilot project was also made, according to the statement.
“I have issued directions to form a committee to identify more road stretches where these technologies can be used under the Annual Maintenance Plan for 2026-27,” he said. PTI BPL PRK PRK
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