Idea of water-absorbent roads holds no water for civic body

BMC’s logic: Such roads can’t bear brunt of traffic & tech is very expensive

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) finds water-absorbent roads an expensive proposition and have said they are not viable, though some European countries have been using such technology for few decades.

The civic body has reportedly turned down the demand by corporators for the construction of water-absorbent roads in Mumbai for better durability.

The BMC has consistently faced flak for the condition of the roads and apparently seems to be content filling potholes every year, even as citizens navigate these roads fearing for their life and limb at every step, as the potholes have proved fatal more than once.

An official from the roads department said, "These roads are not suited to our country, besides being very expensive. This kind of technology will not be able to bear the load of Mumbai's vehicular traffic. Heavy rainfall is another issue, aside from heavy vehicles."

Former Congress corporator Parminder Bhamra had proposed the construction of roads using water-absorbent technology, in Mumbai earlier this week. He had said it was a common sight in the Netherlands.

“In a concrete city like Mumbai, there have to be other avenues of discharge of water apart from nullahs and gutters. Water-absorbing roads will also increase underground water levels and can, in turn, prevent flooding as well,” he said.

The roads department said its hands were tied in this regard and expressed its inability to construct such roads in the city. The official said, “Roads in Mumbai are constructed as per the norms made by the Indian Road Congress (IRC) and the Ministry of Roads Transport and Highways (MoRTH). These norms are made by considering factors like the density of traffic, stormwater drains etc.” The cost of building these roads is prohibitive and also, they may require frequent maintenance, a senior civic official said.

Activists, meanwhile, spewed venom on the civic body. They said the corporation doesn't want good roads, as it would stop its 'other income'. "They would definitely want good roads in Mumbai. But they don't want their additional income to stop. If roads are well and good for 56 years, how will they fill their pockets?" retorted an activist, requesting anonymity.