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Centre seeks to promote geo-textiles for rural roads

27 Aug '15

2 min read

After Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have put on an impressive show of constructing rural roads using jute and coir geo-textiles, the Centre has now other states to emulate these three for projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, according to an agency report.

Union Rural Development Ministry Secretary JK Mohapatra and Textiles Ministry Secretary Sanjay Kumar Panda, in a joint letter to the chief secretaries of all states, have stressed that the usage of geo-textiles in rural roads is a proven environment-friendly technology that makes for greater durability as well as reduced maintenance costs.

The Centre's bid to popularise geo-textiles in its ambitious rural road construction programme under Rural Development Ministry is expected to give a major boost to the coir and jute sectors in the domestic market.

Geo-textiles are strong synthetic fabrics usually used in civil engineering construction projects (such as highway or dam building) for stabilising loose soil and preventing erosion.

“The states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have successfully taken up certain roads under PMGSY using geo-textiles on a pilot basis. These roads are presently undergoing 'Pavement Performance Evaluation' and the initial evaluation reports are quite positive and satisfactory,” Mohapatra and Panda said in the letter last week.

The senior officials pointed out that the “Guidelines of Technology initiatives under PMGSY”, issued by the Rural Development Ministry in 2013, already have a provision that a minimum 15 per cent length of annual proposals under PMGSY received from each state should be based on new or non-conventional materials/technology, including, jute and coir geo-textiles. Geo-textiles, which are used abroad for strengthening roads, are yet to become popular in India. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India