Article notes several reasons why even newly constructed roads in India develop potholes and require maintenance after every rainy season.
While corruption is believed to be the most popular reason, the article also notes other reasons, including poor design of drainage, lack of supervision (no professionalism, work ethics), overloaded trucks. These factors collectively amplify damages than any factor alone would.
The main reasons mentioned in the article area:
1. Water problems due to poor drainage. Drainage failure is the number one reason Indian roads collapse.
2. Severe overloading can accelerate failure by 10 to 20 times. Rutting also channels rainwater into those ruts, deepening the failure.
3. Speeding and aggressive driving
4. Poor project management, implementation, and coordination. India has standards that meet global practice but implementation is poor. Limited project supervision and lack of coordination among different utilities results in poor quality construction.
5. And of course corruption.
**Relevance**:
India is the fastest growing economy and the pace of infrastructure construction, especially highways/expressways, has increased considerably under the Modi government. However, several of new highways have developed rutting and potholes, just after a month of inauguration, causing widespread criticism of India’s best performing highway minister, Nitin Gadkari.
While article talks about mainly urban roads, the same insights also apply to other roads, including highways.
According to the article, India does not need new technology to fix its roads. It needs discipline.
1 Comment
**Submission statement**:
Article notes several reasons why even newly constructed roads in India develop potholes and require maintenance after every rainy season.
While corruption is believed to be the most popular reason, the article also notes other reasons, including poor design of drainage, lack of supervision (no professionalism, work ethics), overloaded trucks. These factors collectively amplify damages than any factor alone would.
The main reasons mentioned in the article area:
1. Water problems due to poor drainage. Drainage failure is the number one reason Indian roads collapse.
2. Severe overloading can accelerate failure by 10 to 20 times. Rutting also channels rainwater into those ruts, deepening the failure.
3. Speeding and aggressive driving
4. Poor project management, implementation, and coordination. India has standards that meet global practice but implementation is poor. Limited project supervision and lack of coordination among different utilities results in poor quality construction.
5. And of course corruption.
**Relevance**:
India is the fastest growing economy and the pace of infrastructure construction, especially highways/expressways, has increased considerably under the Modi government. However, several of new highways have developed rutting and potholes, just after a month of inauguration, causing widespread criticism of India’s best performing highway minister, Nitin Gadkari.
While article talks about mainly urban roads, the same insights also apply to other roads, including highways.
According to the article, India does not need new technology to fix its roads. It needs discipline.
Edit: fixed typos