Bitumen paved roads become unworthy of proper use in five years at most. So why the very sensible directive of the PM, full of economic wisdom, is getting so callously ignored ?

PM�s order to build concrete roads goes unheeded

According to media reports, in the last five months Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has, on two separate occasions, urged the concerned department to build roads and highways using concrete instead of bitumen. Rather bewilderingly despite the clear-cut directive of the chief executive of the republic no initiative has been taken regarding this so far.
We completely support the PM’s stance but are puzzled by the inaction of the concerned officials. Water logging has resulted in the wastage of 90 per cent of the bitumen used to build roads. The states of our national highways stretching as long as 20,000 kilometres have become fragile in may sections. Experts believe that concrete roads are far more durable than the bitumen ones. Even water logging will have little adverse impact on these roads. Experienced engineers have said that it takes just three days of stagnant water on roads to loosen the pebbles held together with bitumen. The case becomes further intriguing as Bangladesh produces a surplus of cement needed to build concrete roads. On the contrary the country has a shortage of bitumen. Bitumen paved roads become unworthy of proper use in five years at most. Sometimes these roads get seriously damaged in just a year or so whereas a road built properly with concrete can be expected to last 25 years. So why the very sensible directive of the PM, full of economic wisdom, is getting so callously ignored ?
As much as ten thousand crore taka is being wasted in maintenance work with bitumen annually on the roads. This loss is something that a country like Bangladesh, which is striving to become a middle income country within the next six years, can ill afford. Some insiders considers even this estimate of wastage as a doctored or deliberately made conservative one. Building and rebuilding roads with bitumen have been going on for some years but seems to have reached a peak from last year. Clearly, more such fruitless works are carried out more the prospects of government officials and contractors to make money from the same. There are reasons to believe that a vested group is trying their best to ensure the continuation of bitumen paved roads and highways. There are allegations of massive corruption in frequent road repair works. Naturally the people involved in these nefarious activities will not prefer much more durable and sustainable alternatives though concrete highways have an excellent track record as a cost-effective investment.
The developed countries are constructing their roads and highways using concrete instead of bitumen. Presently Bangladeshi engineers seem to be suffering from an experience gap in constructing concrete roads since this mode of road building was given up. Thus, there must also be initiatives to better train our engineers regarding the construction of concrete roads and highways.

 

Bitumen paved roads become unworthy of proper use in five years at most. So why the very sensible directive of the PM, full of economic wisdom, is getting so callously ignored ?

PM�s order to build concrete roads goes unheeded

According to media reports, in the last five months Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has, on two separate occasions, urged the concerned department to build roads and highways using concrete instead of bitumen. Rather bewilderingly despite the clear-cut directive of the chief executive of the republic no initiative has been taken regarding this so far. We completely support the PMs stance but are puzzled by the inaction of the concerned officials. Water logging has resulted in the wastage of 90 per cent of the bitumen used to build roads. The states of our national highways stretching as long as 20,000 kilometres have become fragile in may sections. Experts believe that concrete roads are far more durable than the bitumen ones. Even water logging will have little adverse impact on these roads. Experienced engineers have said that it takes just three days of stagnant water on roads to loosen the pebbles held together with bitumen. The case becomes further intriguing as Bangladesh produces a surplus of cement needed to build concrete roads. On the contrary the country has a shortage of bitumen. Bitumen paved roads become unworthy of proper use in five years at most. Sometimes these roads get seriously damaged in just a year or so whereas a road built properly with concrete can be expected to last 25 years. So why the very sensible directive of the PM, full of economic wisdom, is getting so callously ignored ? As much as ten thousand crore taka is being wasted in maintenance work with bitumen annually on the roads. This loss is something that a country like Bangladesh, which is striving to become a middle income country within the next six years, can ill afford. Some insiders considers even this estimate of wastage as a doctored or deliberately made conservative one. Building and rebuilding roads with bitumen have been going on for some years but seems to have reached a peak from last year. Clearly, more such fruitless works are carried out more the prospects of government officials and contractors to make money from the same. There are reasons to believe that a vested group is trying their best to ensure the continuation of bitumen paved roads and highways. There are allegations of massive corruption in frequent road repair works. Naturally the people involved in these nefarious activities will not prefer much more durable and sustainable alternatives though concrete highways have an excellent track record as a cost-effective investment. The developed countries are constructing their roads and highways using concrete instead of bitumen. Presently Bangladeshi engineers seem to be suffering from an experience gap in constructing concrete roads since this mode of road building was given up. Thus, there must also be initiatives to better train our engineers regarding the construction of concrete roads and highways.