PWD offers Norwegian firm to construct 20-km road in state
17 Feb 2018 5:22 PM GMT
Kolkata: The state Public Works Department (PWD) will engage a firm from Netherlands to construct a 20-km-long road as pilot project to find out the longevity of the road and time taken for its completion.
A team from the Norwegian firm held a meeting with top officials of the PWD department at the state secretariat Nabanna on Saturday and demonstrated the Geocrete Soil Stabilisation Technology that will be used for the road construction.
The company claimed that embracing the technology for building roads will not only bring down the cost but also at the same time save considerable time for construction.
It is learnt that state PWD minister Aroop Biswas and principal secretary of the department Indevar Pandey were impressed with the demonstration and have decided to award the contract of making a 20-km-long road to the Norwegian firm. "We will soon decide where the road construction will take place. The contract will be given through tender process," a senior official of state PWD department said.
It may be mentioned that the conventional method of putting bitumen on the topmost layer of the road raises its height and increases its thickness. A large number of city roads and highways are elevated to a considerable height in comparison to the houses located beside them. As a result, water flows downwards into the premises of the houses. "The thickness of the road will remain the same with this technology and as the road will be concretised, its longevity and load capacity will also be much higher," an official from the Norwegian firm said after the meeting.
The Uttar Pradesh government has already awarded contract to this company for constructing a 20-km road as pilot project. USA, UK and Singapore are already building roads through this process.
Meanwhile, at an award function to acknowledge good work done by PWD engineers at Nabanna, Sabhagriha principal secretary Indevar Pandey warned a section of officials of the department who have been negligent in their duties.
"We have found out that 30 percent of the officers are not carrying out their responsibility in proper manner. Nobody will be spared for negligence. Previously, you would get salary, pension and other facilities even if you did not work properly.
But now you have to justify your salary and will not be entitled for other benefits if you neglect your work," he said.
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