Calcutta Municipal Corporation pioneers plastic-enhanced road repairs

The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) is currently renovating a section of Diamond Harbour Road using an innovative approach: incorporating shredded plastic into the bituminous mix, the road's top layer. This technique, previously employed in a less trafficked area in Behala, has proved successful during monsoons, motivating civic engineers to apply it to a busier stretch frequented by heavy vehicles.

The earlier road repair in Behala's Bakshibagan, where this method was first tested, catered mainly to small cars and was not subjected to heavy vehicle traffic. In contrast, the Diamond Harbour Road segment undergoing repairs stretches from the northern slope of the Majerhat bridge to the Diamond Harbour Road-Remount Road crossing, accommodating heavy goods vehicles, buses, and private cars.

Engineers at the CMC's roads department are closely monitoring the project. They are specifically interested in how the top bituminous layer, enhanced with 8% shredded plastic, will endure the strain of heavy traffic. The success of this trial will determine the viability of implementing this repair technique on major roads. The ongoing work focuses on a 310-meter segment of the Kidderpore-bound flank of Diamond Harbour Road, with 200 meters already completed and the remainder scheduled for completion in the coming days.

The bituminous mix used in the project comprises 5.5% bitumen and various-sized stones, with 8% of the bitumen replaced by shredded plastic. According to Partha Pratim Biswas, a construction engineering professor at Jadavpur University, this method enhances the road's durability and reduces cracks and potholes. Plastic, behaving like iron reinforcements in a concrete structure, strengthens the bituminous mix. Moreover, it performs exceptionally well on roads susceptible to waterlogging, as plastic's binding property remains intact even when exposed to water, preventing disintegration of the stones and the formation of potholes.

This innovative approach not only reinforces the road but also offers a sustainable solution, demonstrating the CMC's commitment to improving road quality and durability in the face of heavy traffic and adverse weather conditions.