Mumbai: BMC to propose resurfacing Malad roads with paver blocks

While the BMC had refrained from using paver blocks for road repairs in the city, it will now propose resurfacing of some roads with them in Malad. After repeated instances of sunken roads and broken patches in 2016, the civic body had decided not to use paver blocks for road repairs and had re-laid the roads with asphalt or concrete.

Paver blocks were removed from many roads after repeated instances of sunken roads and broken patches. File pic

A proposal to resurface 11 internal roads with paver blocks at R16 crore in Malad is going to be placed before the Standing Committee for final approval today. The BMC had introduced paver blocks in 2006 to repair roads, especially arterial ones and junctions. According to officials, the idea of introducing paver blocks, was to avoid haphazard digging of roads and footpaths for underground utility services. Since paver blocks can be easily removed without digging and can be re-laid after work is completed, civic body had decided to use paver blocks across the city and spent crores on this.

However, in most places the paver blocks had started sinking, or becoming loose because of broken parts. This led to widespread criticism as even safety of motorists was at stake.

Defending the current move an official from the BMC said, "These are internal roads and are less than six metres wide. So practically it is not possible to take asphalting machines there."

Speaking to mid-day, Chief Engineer of Roads and Traffic Department, Vinod Chithore said, "There is a policy in BMC under which minor roads can be resurfaced with paver blocks. Such roads are small so machinery used to carry out asphalt work cannot be moved there. The policy is in existence since past one and half year."

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