The Central Government has decided to opt for a polymer based technology to build three roads in Chattisgarh under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) – in Dantewada, Bijapur and Narainpur districts. The technology, which stabilises the soil with a liquid polymer, has been accredited by the Indian Roads Congress. Laboratory tests on the technology have been carried out at IIT Kharagpur. A problem in the construction of roads in remote districts such as these three, is the absence of local stone aggregate deposits with the result that stone has to be brought from quarries and stone-crushing units more than 100km away. This increases the construction costs and delays the projects. The new technology will eliminate these problems, and also help conserve forests in these remote areas which have to be de-reserved and cleared for the construction of roads.
