Mumbai:
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There is no interlinking 'edge restraint strip' between paver blocks and cement concrete road at Colaba. PIC/SHASHANK RAO | The BMC and MMRDA have been criticised for using paver blocks to fill potholes in the city, without placing the essential concrete buffers to keep them in place. The Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) has stated that there is a need for 'edge restraint strip', which is a concrete layer that holds paver blocks in place. This has been missing on several roads where paver blocks have been used. "This is the area where potholes occur, due to a difference in the levels of the two materials. The concrete layer goes deep into the soil and holds the paver blocks together," said a road expert, who contributed to the STAC report. STAC has asked BMC and MMRDA to refer to its report on how to use paver blocks. Both the government bodies have been rampantly using paver blocks to cover potholes, which takes lesser time to dry during monsoon. "Paver blocks easily cave in, if used on long stretches and should be used only at junctions," said a BMC official. Both D L Shinde, chief engineer (Roads) and BMC and S Nandargikar, chief engineer (Roads), MMRDA, said that they use the 'edge restraint strip' for interlinking roads wherever required.
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