Highways research station team checks quality of road works in Vellore

Chennai's Highways Research Station team assesses road quality on key stretches in Vellore, ensuring top-notch infrastructure development.

A high-level expert team of the Chennai-based Highways Research Station (HRS) assessed quality of road laying works on key stretches including Old Bangalore Bypass Road in Vellore on Saturday.

Officials of State Highways said the expert team was led by M. Saravanan, Director, Highways Research Station. Most of the key stretches like Old Katpadi Road near Palar river, Ozur Road near Central Prison were maintained by State Highways. The team assessed quality of raw materials used for the work, total length and width of the stretches that are undertaken for work, thickness of bitumen layer and quantity of blue metal used to level uneven spots of the stretches.

Currently, widening of the Old Bangalore Bypass Road that connects Old Town with Katpadi into a four lane stretch with paved shoulders is under progress. The team inspected the stretch to check the quality of relaying work. “Quality assessment by the research team helps field-level engineers to make minor corrections in road laying and strengthening works,” said an official.

Mr. Saravanan was accompanied by R.N. Dhanasekaran, Divisional Engineer, Construction & Maintenance (C&M), State Highways (Vellore), R. Prakash and V. Kumaresan, Assistant Divisional Engineers (ADE), C&M, for Vellore and Katpadi sections respectively.

Officials said the widening of Old Bangalore Road was funded under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme 2023-24 for ₹3 crore. The existing seven metres width of the carriageway is being converted into nine metres with a tiled footpath.

Old stormwater drains were also replaced with new ones (three metres wide and 1.5 metres depth) on both sides. The new drain will prevent inundation in residential areas along the highway. Excess rainwater will be discharged into the nearby Nicholson canal that is connected to Palar river.