Road Division Office in Chitwan Mass-Produces Premix to Repair Potholes on Major Roads

Chitwan. The Road Division Office, Bharatpur, is rapidly producing ready-made premix to immediately restore main road potholes in the district to their original condition and ease traffic flow.

The premix, which is packed in ordinary cement bags, has a shelf life of at least six months, according to Krishna Prasad Acharya, Information Officer at the Road Division Office, Bharatpur. He stated, "Road pothole maintenance is a regular activity. We are constructing and using ready-made premix at the office itself for the regular maintenance of roads under the office's jurisdiction."

Bitumen (MC-70) is used to prepare the premix. Stone chips are mixed at a temperature of about 80 degrees Celsius, and after cooling, they are packed in bags for storage. According to him, this material can be used for immediate repairs whenever needed.

He mentioned that this technology, which can be prepared with low cost and minimal manpower, is particularly useful in emergency situations. "We started constructing ready-made premix as a pilot project in the Department of Roads back in BS 2076," he said. "Since this is kept ready, potholes can be repaired immediately when they appear on the road, preventing further potholes from developing." The office claims this method is cost-effective and durable compared to other technologies. He informed that about 1,500 bags of premix are currently being prepared, and the quantity will be increased as needed.

Stating that the office's goal is to make the roads pothole-free, he informed that regular maintenance is being carried out on the Narayanghat-Mugling, Narayanghat-Lothar, Bharatpur-Madi, and Bharatpur-Meghauli road sections in the district. He attributed the damage to these roads to heavy vehicle traffic, loads exceeding design limits, and water flow during the monsoon season. He added that since roads deteriorate more in the monsoon than in winter, the need for ready-made premix is equally high.