The Times of India          29.11.2013

Five city roads to be smoother, stronger

SURAT: Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to go for micro-surfacing of its roads. This would not only give durability to the roads, but also help it save Rs 25 crore annually which is spent on re-carpeting work.

Ghod Dod Road, Rander Tadwadi-Chokshiwadi Rroad, Anand Mahal Road, Sumul Dairy Road and New Bhatar Road would be micro-surfaced in the first phase. Surat has nearly 1,800 km long roads. The first phase would cover two lakh square metre of road area.

The height of the layer would be just 8mm with micro-surfacing method, above the existing polymeric roads. It will be less expensive compared to polymeric roads and is also environment friendly. Micro-surfacing would cost just Rs 125 per square metre to the civic body as against Rs 341 per square metre that goes for laying an asphalt cement concrete road.

"The whole process of micro-surfacing will be completed in 45 minutes. There would be no traffic jams during re-carpeting work," a SMC official said.

"Micro-surfacing enhances the durability of the road surface. It does not allow the water to percolate during the monsoon season," said Jatin Shah, city engineer.

A number of roads in New Delhi are micro-surfaced. The Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway too is micro-surfaced.