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Rubber bitumen to be used on Delhi-Gurgaon highway

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, June 20

THE National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to use rubber-modified bitumen, TBM-Super bitumen modifier, on the top surface of the four-lane highway project between Delhi and Gurgaon spanning a length of 70 km.

This is the first four-lane NHAI-funded highway project to use the new generation bitumen modifier, which is expected to result in savings to the Authority by way of reduction in maintenance costs of the highways. The Government spends a whopping Rs. 5,0 00 crores to Rs. 8,000 crores annually on maintenance of national highways in the country.

TBM Super bitumen modifier is produced by the Delhi-based Tinna Overseas Ltd with technical know-how from American Gilsonite Co of the US.

According to Mr. Bhupinder Kumar, Chairman, Tinna Overseas Ltd, the product has been tested by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi and Highways Research Station, Chennai.

``It has been established that by using TBM-Super, the improvement in the road surface is to the extent of 70 per cent,vis-a-vis 30 per cent of latex and 10 per cent of rubber powder as compared to the road built with plain bitumen'', Mr. Kumar has state d at a press conference here.

The CRRI has pointed out that TBM-Super mixed with bitumen mixture helps improve the properties of bitumen besides enhancing the elastic modulus properties considerably, resulting in a saving of about 50 per cent over a period of five to seven years in t he maintenance of a particular stretch of road, according to Mr. Kumar.

The NHAI has decided to use the new generation bitumen modifier following successful trials of TBM-Super during crack fillings on NH-8 and laying a test section near Rajiv Chowk in Gurgaon and after watching its performance for more than a year.

The Union Government is encouraging the use of bitumen modifier and detailed guidelines have been issued by the Ministry of Surface Transport in this regard. Further, the Ministry has issued a circular earlier this year regarding the use of modified bitu men for Central Government projects and has also advised the States to follow the same in order to cut expenditure on maintenance of roads.

The use of modifier in building or re-carpeting road surface is a popular measure in developed and several under-developed countries to increase the longevity and quality of roads besides resulting in savings to the Government.