If you come across jet patcher machines in Chennai busily involved in the road fixing works, then don`t get surprised!!
The monsoon season is fast approaching and the time is very short. In this situation, the GCC has hired 2 jet patcher machines from Mumbai to instantly fix holes and craters on the roads in Chennai.
Potholes with bitumen would be fixed in a few minutes by these machines. By this, time would be saved. Not only that, money needed to re-lay the entire stretch would also be saved. It was later explained by the chief engineer of GCC Mr. Rajendiran that the machine was automated and fitted to the truck. He added that the processing of bitumen would be carried out at an ideal temperature. In the next step, the pot hole would be identified and cut into proper shapes up to 40mm deep. It is noteworthy that after cleaning the pothole bitumen would be sprayed forcefully on the pothole leading to immediate sticking.
About 1000 potholes have been identified now by GCC across Chennai. Every day, about 50 potholes are being fixed and this work will continue till the end of this month.
Difference between earlier and present method:
In the past, the bitumen was burnt in a central asphalt plant in large quantities and it caused emissions. In the current method of employing jet patchers , there would not be any delay in the bitumen preparation and milling the whole road and relaying that would take 3 days minimum
This new method would be cost effective because the entire road need not be re-laid. This was as per the GCC Commissioner Mr. J. Radhakrishnan. He added that there would be proper fix by the new method as the roads are cut into geometrical shapes.
According to Mr. Dayanand Krishnan, civic activist, jet patchers are commonly used all over the world now. He spoke about the need for GCC to have more such machines. He concluded that the jet patchers could be sent to the Tambaram Corporation too as to fix roads there.