From Our Correspondent
Tura, Oct 29: The recent move of the PWD department allowing the use of paver blocks in repairs of broken or damaged stretches of roads in the Garo Hills region has thrown up a huge talking point — are these a workable long term solution? While opinions have been divided over the use of bricks, evidence on the ground suggests roads are currently getting worse with the use of paver blocks instead of better.
Paver blocks have been used in road repairs on the NH – 51, the AMPT road, the Garobadha – Dalu road with none of these getting better. Rather what has happened is that the road, from the pressure of vehicles using the repaired section, has worsened the condition.
“We don’t know whether it is the haphazard way of repair or just the nature of the repair, surrounding areas of where paver blocks have been used have developed major unevenness. Instead of making the road better, it has been causing more damage to it,” felt Peter Sangma, Phulbari resident and social activist.
Peter felt the move was an effort to reduce cost of road repairs and traditional methods of such repairs would be costlier compared to the use of blocks. “It’s a win-win situation for the department and the contractor. However for us it is a nightmarish situation. The department really needs to look through what is happening and only after scientific study allow the use of bricks in repairing roads,” he added.
Just a look at how the road is impacted should have been enough to suggest to the PWD that paver blocks cannot be the way forward. However despite what is already evidently clear, the department has not asked for the same to be stopped.
“Paver blocks are harder than the surrounding road which means that when a vehicle moves over it, it tends to sink deeper into the ground. This has made the roads very uneven while creating dangerous potholes. Wherever these bricks have been used, the surrounding areas develop dangerous potholes and could seriously damage vehicles,” felt Nazmul Hassan, an Old Bhaitbari resident.
Earlier the use of paver blocks on the NH – 51 had created a serious situation with major cracks developing on the road and some sections getting extremely dangerous for travel. The section between Asanang to Waribok in WGH is a case in point. However despite the situation paver blocks were once again used in repairs, indicating that either the contractor or the department was not learning from the evidence.
On the AMPT road, cement blocks have been used in almost the entire section between Rajabala to Chibinang and the results are nightmarish.
“When you remove traditional methods of road repair to more innovative technologies, it has to be tested first. Going by the looks of things, no testing seems to have been done. The road has become uneven in all those places where these bricks have been used. In many sections, these bricks have even been removed due to the high wear and tear caused by them,” added another SR Marak.
Efforts were made to contact the PWD department for their comment on the matter but they could not be reached.