Kerala urged to use rubber in road construction despite high cost

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways directed the Kerala State Government to use rubber in road construction even though it costs high. It also suggested blending of the natural rubber with tar mixture as it is evaluated to be good for the safety of passengers. It also helps the constructed roads last longer, the Ministry pointed out.

Meanwhile, the authorities of the State Public Works Department maintained that for a 1 km road with 7 meter width and 3 cm thickness to be constructed in Kerala wtih natural rubber mixed bitumen, it will incur an additional cost of Rs 2,97,418.

Although this matter has been discussed with the Central Government, it has been informed that the road should be constructed only as per the instructtions of the Indian Road Congress and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), which suggest tarring the roads with rubber. The MORTH has received outcomes of various tests which proved that using bitumen mixed with natural rubber will reduce risks significantly compared to normal tarring. It is also beneficial to the vehicles and passengers as the roads provide good grip and there are lesser chances of vehicle-skidding, it further pointed out. Moreover, due to high elasticity and good coverage, the roads will last longer.

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