Curse of concrete

Two-wheelers & autorickshaws seem destined for an unpleasant ride on city roads for at least 15 years, because that’s how long the rough & bumpy concrete roads are expected to last


Times News Network

About 70% of the vehicles on Bengaluru’s roads are two-wheelers. Yet, the decision about concreting – or white-topping – city roads seems to have been taken by those who only use four-wheelers.

The white-topped roads are an unpleasant experience for two-wheelers, and more so for autorickshaws, which don’t have the kind of suspensions four-wheelers have. And it seems to be getting worse on newer concrete roads like the one being laid between Lingarajapuram and Outer Ring Road (Kacharakanahalli main road), and Residency Road. It’s a really rough ride.

That’s partly in the nature of concrete. They are rigid, not as flexible as asphalt. Ashish Verma, professor of transportation systems engineering at IISc, says if there are no potholes, black-top (asphalt) roads consist of elastic properties which make them smoother and comparatively comfortable to ride on. “Lack of the same on cement roads leads to a bumpy riding experience,” he says.

There are ways to make concrete roads smoother. But that also makes them more slippery than asphalt. Verma thinks the roughness of the white-top roads is part of the design to make them less slippery.

BBMP too acknowledges that asphalt gives a better riding experience than concrete. An official notes that it is possible to make the concrete roads smoother than they are currently. But he says that requires the entire road to be handed over to them and to be rebuilt as a full concrete road. BBMP can then use 7m wide sensor pavers – specialised machines that use sensors to automatically adjust the paver's height, slope, and grade, resulting in consistent thickness and a level finish.

Unfortunately, he says, traffic police are unwilling to hand over an entire road, given the inevitable congestion it would create elsewhere. So, you find contractors doing small stretches of one side of a road at a time. This way of doing it also typically involves use of large slabs of concrete, and the joints between these slabs often create uneven surfaces.


Two-wheeler experience
Alec Jonathan D’Souza, a 24-year-old PG student who rides on the outer ring road, describes his experience as “painful”. “The roads are not levelled and are uncomfortable to ride on,” he says.

Thanish Jayanth M, 21, a BTech student at Presidency University, often rides around Hebbal and parts of Outer Ring Road, where a lot of stretches are white-topped. He describes how one can feel every tiny crack or uneven joint. “The constant vibration just tires you out more than usual,” he says.

Manoj Shetty, 32, is part of the Travel Stories biking community. He says he’s less confident riding on white-topped roads, especially during the monsoon, as they tend to be more slippery. Dileep Kumar, 26, an employee at Medi Assist, says once while riding on a white-topped road during rain, his bike skidded badly, but he managed to take control of the bike. “The joints between concrete slabs were uneven, which caused a sudden jerk,” he says, adding that these roads put a lot of strain on his bike’s suspension and tyres. That, indeed, is another problem. Concrete roads – because of higher friction and rigid nature – tend to be harder on tyres than asphalt roads, potentially leading to more wear and tear and an increased risk of overheating, especially at high speeds.


Autorickshaw experience
Autorickshaw drivers face similar, and even additional issues. Krishna A M, a 49-year-old auto driver, says that these roads can be quite bumpy, which can be quite discomforting for elderly passengers who request him to drive slowly.

Salman Khan, 26, who drives through the Thanisandra Road often, says that bumpy roads mean driving slowly, which leads to more traffic congestion. Avinaash J, 28, adds, “The rough, bumpy surface can sometimes cause a steering problem, making it harder to control. Good asphalt roads without potholes provide a better driving experience.”



Digging up concrete roads
The expensive concrete roads are expected to last at least 15 years. If city authorities remain adamant about white-topping most roads, two-wheelers and autorickshaws will be condemned to unpleasant drives for a very long time.

BBMP had also argued that they would never have to dig up these concrete roads, and hence there would be no potholes. But even that’s turning out to be an illusion. The white-topped Thanisandra Road has been dug up in multiple locations, and those locations have either not been filled up, or been filled up shoddily. Manoj Shetty, who resides at Chandapura near Electronics City, says a concrete road laid out near his home had to be dug up just after a month for a waterline installation. Looks like TenderSure design principles have not been followed in the case of several concrete roads.

Verma says if properly laid, asphalt roads can last for at least five years. “We require a proper design for its capacity to slip water on the side to avoid breaking. With proper workmanship and design, asphalt can provide a smoother, durable and a comfortable ride for all,” he says.

Voice Box

These roads affect middle/lower income citizens disproportionately because they’re the primary users of autorickshaws and scooters as a means of commuting. While those using a car don’t experience the bumpiness due to higher suspension capacity.

Ashish Verma, PROFESSOR, TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE (IISc)




I experience back pain when I ride on such roads for a long time. The continuous vibrations and jerks make the ride very uncomfortable.

Dileep Kumar, 26, EMPLOYEE, MEDI ASSIST
Rough surface means your tyres wear out sooner than they do on asphalt roads, hence you should be careful not to ride too fast on these cement roads.

Regin T C, 38, RESIDENT, KALYAN NAGAR

I have to lower and maintain a certain speed on this road to ride safely. This is an inconvenience, considering sometimes I have to get somewhere sooner, and that requires riding at a normal speed.

Thanish Jayanth M, 21, BTECH STUDENT, PRESIDENCY UNIVERSITY
The Ulsoor lake concrete road is known for its accidents, which also caused the officials to put up a signboard with a speed limit. The uneven surface on concrete roads makes it harder to steer the scooter handle properly. Despite riding at a normal speed, my friend once got into an accident while we were riding on our respective scooters. Ever since, I’ve been cautious while travelling on these roads.

Johanna Dorcus R, 19, STUDENT, ST.JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

Some poorly executed concrete roads can cause constant vibrations, which can potentially lead to rattles and structural damage over time. Elderly passengers often request me to drive slowly.

Krishna A M, 49, AUTO DRIVER

Traffic police don’t allow sensor pavers

No doubt, asphalt gives a better riding experience than concrete. We can do smoother concrete roads, but that requires 7m wide sensor pavers. But within the city, we don’t get the permit required from the traffic police to use such big machines. The police say it will lead to increased traffic congestion.
BBMP OFFICIAL



-Jyothi Prakash V