Successful use of plastic waste for strengthening rural roads in state
Bhopal: A number of innovations adopted for better implementation of rural development schemes are changing rural scenario in the state. In the series, initiative has been taken to use plastic waste in construction and repair of roads in the state under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Roads constructed with this technique are not only shiny, but also more durable and stronger.
Before the initiative, senior officers of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana visited Tamil Nadu to obtain detailed information about this technique. Indian Road Congress has also sent detailed guidelines about it to states. This technique is also helping in environmental conservation, sanitation and livelihood. Large quantity of plastic waste including polythene bags is thrown away in cities daily. The haphazardly and indifferently thrown plastic waste is leading to insanitation and posing danger to environment. Disposal of this waste is also vital to ensure human health. The initiative to use plastic waste in road construction will not only ensure environmental conservation and sanitation, but will also provide new livelihood opportunity to groups collecting plastic waste.
Chief Executive Officer, Rural Roads Development and Housing Authority Smt. Alka Upadhyay informed that initiative has been taken for durable and quality road construction and repair by adding 10 percent plastic waste with traditional road construction material in construction of one selected road in every division as a pilot project. For this, field staff is being imparted training on the spot. Such training has been imparted during construction of one selected rural road each in Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur divisions so far.
A novel class was held in the open air under scorching sun a Vision-High Hotmix Plan on Silwani-Udaipura Road in a remote area of Raisen district. Engineers of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and field staff of construction agencies learnt finer points of this technique from 12 noon to 4 pm under searing heat when mercury touched 43 degrees Celsius. Engineer-in-Chief of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Shri M.K. Gupta, MANIT’s professor and expert of road construction Prof. Sushil Mittal, Chief General Manager Shri A.D. Kapale and Shri S.C. Sahu were present on the occasion.
General Managers of project implementation units (PIUs) of Sehore, Hoshangabad, Betul, Vidisha and Raisen districts, Assistant Managers of Bhopal and Hoshangabad divisions and construction agencies’ sub-engineers and field staff took part in the training. Practical knowledge was also imparted about testing quality and grading of bitumen and asphalt. The trainees learnt as to how positive changes occur in quality of road construction material by mixing plastic waste. Later, successful demonstration of the technique was made by constructing 5-kilometer stretch of road linking village Manakwada with village Bamhori in remote Silwani area.
