Rains or no rains, ruins are a must for the roads in Ahmedabad. And, cave-ins are the latest trend of the disaster. When roads are laid, it needs a proper rolling. However, if that is not done well, some of the experts say, the roads become prone to cave-ins.
“One can only talk about the reasons of cave-ins once the sample testing is done. There are three layers in roads, prime level, subgrade and base layer and then a surface layer. Proper rolling must be done of all layers,” said GP Vadodaria, principal of LD Engineering.
“No space should be left between the gravels. The roads need to be rolled properly to prevent the cave-ins. The underground pipeline leakage also damages the road and creates cave-ins,” added Vadodaria.
He further said, making a proper base with gravels, fine material and black top with compaction and rolling make the roads intact. A senior civic body official said most of the times irregular road opening damages it.
It is followed by replacing, repairing or rehabilitating the underground network. The drainage leakage is also one of the main reasons for cave-ins, he said.
“Rainwater seeps through the surface when proper sealing is not done. Electricity, gas, telephone and internet cables are underground and concealed. Four to five decade-old-drainage lines leak and create acid and damage the nearby structures. It compresses and made space for air, and results in cave-ins. Very few underground networks have proper ventilation columns,” he said.
“Before laying tar on any road, the road should get proper watering while laying gravels and base material. If the tar is applied after the first spell of the rains, the surface will never get peeled easily,” Ashraf Khan, a civil engineer said.
OLD IS GOLD
As compared to new Ahmedabad, the walled city has hardly had cave-ins. “The walled city has RCC chambers for the underground network. Digging of roads is less frequent here,” said Mayur Dave, a councillor from Khadia.
