New Delhi: Gearing up for monsoon, the MCD
today unveiled a road pothole repairing machine, claimed to be
the first such initiative in India, and asked citizens to
approach its round-the-clock control rooms with water-logging
and other rain-related complaints.
Leader of the MCD House Subhash Arya launched the machine
at Moti Nagar crossing in west Delhi and said its advantages
will be ensuring "smoothness and compactness of the road
surface, opening traffic on repaired surface after 30 minutes
and less consumption of time in repair work."
The MCD dubbed it as "India`s first" pothole repair
machine in which infra-red rays will be used for giving the
road surface treatment of 200 degree C.
Arya said the machine cost approximately Rs 1.10 crore
and was purchased from the UK through private firm
Transmetallite India Ltd. This will help repair the patches or
potholes on MCD roads with hot bitumen mix.
"MCD has purchased this machine as a pilot project and if
the success rates are higher then it will buy more machines.
The manufacturer of the machine will operate and maintain the
machine for two years as part of warranty," he said.
Officials said the machine has an infra-red hot plate of
size 2mX1m to cover the pothole. It will take around 8-10
minutes to heat-up the road surface. The road will be then dug
up and by adding bitumen and other mix and it will be laid
over the patch. Heating is done by liquefied petroleum gas.
On an average, the machine can lay 16 patches of 2mX1m in
eight hours.
The MCD also issued an appeal to citizens and Residents
Welfare Associations to join its in its efforts to make the
ensuing monsoon season a "trouble-free experience".
"They are requested to lodge any complaint pertaining to
water-logging, fallen trees, manhole covers, sanitation,
repair
of potholes, dangerous buildings at MCD`s control rooms," the
civic agency said.
The control rooms have been geared up to attend to public
complaints at the earliest and provide redressal, it said.
"The control rooms are functioning 24X7. With voice
logging facility, your call will be recorded with all
particulars for effective monitoring and follow-up," it said.
-PTI
