For water starved Bengaluru, will paver block roads be the answer?

Paver blocks have been used in Yediyur as a pilot project.
For water starved Bengaluru, will paver block roads be the answer?
For water starved Bengaluru, will paver block roads be the answer?
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Most of Bengaluru city's arterial and main roads have been laid with concrete or tar, leaving little scope for recharge of groundwater.

But, Yediyur may soon be on its way to becoming the model ward in Bengaluru.

As part of a pilot project by Yediyur corporator, Poornima Ramesh, an entire by lane has been laid with paver blocks. Residents hope, that Shastri Nagar 1st main road becomes a model for rapid ground water recharge. Paver blocks will be laid on four more roads in the ward soon.

"The life of asphalt roads is two years and that of concrete ones is four years, while paver block roads sustain for around 20 years. Asphalt and concrete roads also have problems with maintenance due to potholes. Also, ground water levels go down with concrete roads as the rainwater ends up in the drains, which flows into Vrishabhavati Valley and then the sea. The rain gives rise to potholes on tar roads. With paver blocks, every drop of rain water or even water used to wash cars, seeps into the ground and helps increase ground water," said Ramesh NR, former ruling party leader in BBMP.

The current ground water level in Bengaluru is at 938 ft, which is extremely low and paver block roads can help accumulate at least 30 to 40 ft of ground water during every monsoon, Ramesh said.

“The Shastri Nagar 1st main road is 53 metres wide. The estimated cost for a concrete road came up to Rs 11 lakh, while the estimated cost for a tar road was Rs 9.5 lakh. The cost of laying a paver block road was only Rs 4.5 lakh including the setting up of three manhole chambers. This type of road is very cost effective as well,” he added.

Paver blocks have a thickness of 80 mm and can withstand weight of around 200 tonnes. The roads are smooth and do not have problem with pot holes. They are very durable, Ramesh said.

“Paver blocks are inter-locked. Hence if there any cables are to be laid or pipes to be repaired, only one stone has to be removed and the others can be removed easily. Maintenance of paver block roads are very easy,” Ramesh added.

The BBMP is spending almost Rs 1,200-1,400 crore every year for laying asphalt and concrete roads in the city. This can be brought down to Rs 300 crore if paver blocks are laid in all interior roads in Bengaluru, he said.

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