Jute geotextiles to be used in pilot road projects

Jute Manufacturers Development Council (JMDC) has entered into MoUs with the National Rural Roads Development Agency (NRRDA) and Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) for evaluating the potential of jute geotextile in road construction.

A pilot project with jute geotextile in rural roads under Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was being undertaken by JMDC with the approval of the Union ministry of textile and rural development.

A K Bal, secretary of JMDC, said the project would be undertaken in six states""Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal.

It would cover around 50 km on two roads in each state.

CRRI would be preparing detailed project reports for each identified trial road and suggest appropriate specifications of jute geotextile, including design of the pavement and monitor the performance of the fabric.

Bal said, investment in development of rural road sector was around Rs 60,000 crore and if only 10 per cent could be spent on jute geotextile, it would work out to around 200,000 tonnes of production.

On the basis of the evaluation of performance by CRRI, the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) would be approached to include jute geotextile in its standards for road construction. Concurrently, actions for standardisation of jute geotextile in other areas of civil engineering had been initiated.

According to estimates, the standardisation of jute geotextiles after execution of the pilot project would boost consumption.

Bal said, jute has finally received an opportunity in this pilot project, which in the long run would open up new avenue and create a much needed alternative market.