Gandhinagar, Jan 13 (IANS) The potholed streets and creaking road infrastructure in Gujarat’s Valsad region were a constant source of worry and alarm for the locals as well as visitors, until it got a facelift recently.

The road repair mission undertaken by the city administration has brought a big turnaround in its condition, resulting in a ‘pleasant experience’ for the drivers and daily commuters.

The usage of state-of-the-art mastic asphalt technology in road construction and repair brought a sea-change in the city’s road infrastructure. Today, vehicles are plying and speeding smoothly on the roads of Vapi, an industrial town in Gujarat’s Valsad district.

Previously, heavy rains during the monsoon season would damage the roads severely every year. Potholes, daily wear and tear caused significant problems for local residents, industries, and the movement of heavy vehicles. But after the administration stepped in, this long-standing problem has largely been resolved through the use of the latest technology.

Jatin Patel, Executive Engineer of Valsad Roads and Buildings Department, told IANS that Vapi receives 100 to 150 inches of rainfall annually. Along with this, there is constant movement of heavy vehicles, due to which traditionally constructed roads would deteriorate quickly.

He said that roads could also be built with cement concrete (CC), but the department’s priority was to increase the lifespan of the roads and create a long-lasting solution.

With this in mind, mastic asphalt technology has been adopted, resulting in stronger roads that maintain their quality even during the rainy season.

Residents of Vapi are expressing joy and happiness over the construction of roads using mastic asphalt technology. People say that earlier, the condition of roads would worsen every monsoon.

Local resident Arvind Shah said that road construction in Vapi was done much better than before.

“During the rainy season, potholes on the roads made daily commuting extremely difficult. The roads being constructed using this new technology will largely eliminate this problem and reduce the likelihood of the roads deteriorating quickly,” he added.

Another local resident, Pawan Sharma, said that Vapi experiences heavy rainfall, and constructing roads using mastic asphalt technology is the best solution in such an area. He called it a commendable step, saying that it is not causing any inconvenience to the people and that these roads will prove to be durable in the long run.

Notably, the construction of roads by local administration, using mastic asphalt technology, has not only provided relief to the residents of Vapi but has also greatly benefited the industries and commercial activities in the area. This is also becoming an inspiration for other cities where roads deteriorate rapidly due to heavy rainfall and industrial traffic.

–IANS

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