23 July 2019

Subject: Gross wastage of over Rs. 10,000 crores per year in construction and maintenance
of India’s rural roads
The following dialog between a farmhouse owner and an intelligent road contractor would
explain the subject well:
Farmhouse Owner
I have one km long gravel approach road from the public road to my farmhouse. I would like to
get my private road surfaced with bitumen (asphalt) so that it becomes durable especially during
monsoons. What is your recommendation as a road contractor in terms of techniques and
associated costs?
Road Contractor
Your approach road is like a rural road in India with light traffic. Government of India’s Rural
Roads Manual specifies two techniques for bituminous surfacing of rural roads. Both techniques
are also approved by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and the Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways (MORTH).
Farmhouse Owner
Please describe the two bituminous surfacing techniques so that a layman like me can understand
easily.
Road Contractor
These two techniques are: premix carpet (PMC) and surface dressing (SD). Premix carpet
consists of mixing single-size (12 mm) stone chips with about 3.5% bitumen by weight of mix.
Hot mixing is done in a portable or central mixing plant. This hot mix is laid on the road in 20-
mm layer either manually or through a paver and compacted with a road roller. Since the mix is
highly open and water can penetrate it, a sand seal coat (mix of sand and bitumen) is applied on
the surface to “prevent” the entry of rainwater. Cost of premix carpet for your 1-km private
approach road is estimated to be Rs. 7.88 lakhs according to the Rajasthan PWD Schedule of
Rates.
The second technique for bituminous surfacing is surface dressing which consists of spraying a
thick film of bitumen with a mechanized bitumen tank distributor immediately followed by a
mechanized stone chip spreader (manufactured in Gujarat) and a road roller to embed the stone
chips into thick bitumen film. Cost of mechanized bituminous surface dressing for your road is
estimated to be Rs. 2.62 lakhs according to the Rajasthan PWD Schedule of Rates.
Farmhouse Owner
Since the premix carpet is highly expensive, about three times the cost of surface dressing, it
must be much better than the surface dressing. Is that right?
Road Contractor
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You would be surprised to know this is not the case. Although premix carpet has sand seal at the
surface, water can still penetrate it easily as observed by field tests conducted by students
recently at some IITs, NIT and college. Even “Aam Aadmi” knows water is Enemy No. 1 of
bitumen and causes potholes. That is why; the average life of premix carpet before potholes
develop is about 1-2 years. On the other hand, bituminous surface dressing seals the road
effectively with thick film of sprayed bitumen and makes it almost waterproof. That is why; the
average life of surface dressing is 3-4 years or more around the world.
Farmhouse Owner
I do not understand why are we using premix carpet on our rural roads when it is highly
expensive and less durable compared to surface dressing. Is premix carpet used in developed
countries? If not, what are they using?
Road Contractor
That is a good question! Unfortunately, over 90% of our rural roads are being constructed and/or
resurfaced with premix carpet. Surface dressing is dying a slow death in India.
Premix carpet is not used in developed countries such as US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand
and S. Africa because their engineers pretty well know premix carpet would generally soak up
rainwater and therefore develop potholes prematurely. They use bituminous surface dressing on
their low to medium-trafficked roads because not only it is much cheaper but also highly durable.
Hundreds of research papers have been published around the world on surface dressing to
finetune this technique of bituminous surfacing.
Farmhouse Owner
What about our road research institutes and universities, have they not researched the premix
carpet which is used so extensively in India only?
Road Contractor
No. Since premix carpet was introduced in India during the 1960s (surface dressing was used
exclusively prior to the 1960s), no research has been published on it during the last 50 years or
so. Premix carpet has simply been accepted as “conventional wisdom” by our road engineers and
passed from one generation to next generation without any technical challenge to its efficacy
(suitability) as a bituminous surfacing on rural roads.
Farmhouse Owner
I am sorry I still do not understand. India’s Rural Roads Manual allows both bituminous
surfacing techniques. Why primarily use the premix carpet which is highly expensive and less
durable compared to surface dressing?
Road Contractor
Again, it is a good question! It is likely that some engineers like “high-budget” projects for
whatever reasons. Many engineers make the selection based on appearance and public perception

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only. Premix carpet looks shiny black whereas surface dressing has bare, uncoated stone chips at
the surface. According to them public perception is more important than the national interest.
Many engineers think public will “blame” them for poor quality road when they do not see any
bitumen on the road surface. Public will not see the waterproofing thick bitumen into which
stone chips are embedded. Then, there are some engineers who do not want to come out of their
air-conditioned offices to supervise the surface dressing work which requires monitoring the
bitumen and stone chip application rates, that is, more supervision compared to premix carpet.
Farmhouse Owner
Why can’t we educate the public that mechanized surface dressing is in national interest because
it’s one-third the cost of premix carpet and will not develop potholes during rainy season? From
savings we can build more and more rural roads.
Road Contractor
Yes, we can. But most of our engineers, bureaucrats and politicians do not have the conviction,
will and guts to make this major change. They always find some excuses not to do so. For them
national interest does not matter, they like the status quo.
Farmhouse Owner
I am fully convinced. I will use surface dressing rather than premix carpet on my 1-km private
road. However, I have a question. Can we do something to make the surface dressing look
blackish in appearance?
Road Contractor
I am glad you asked this question. Yes, we can. Before spreading the stone chips, we can precoat
them with about 1% bitumen in a mixer. That would not only impart a blackish color to the road
but also cause the embedded stone chips stick better to the sprayed bitumen.
Farmhouse Owner
That sounds good. How much extra the precoating would cost me?
Road Contractor
According to Rajasthan PWD Schedule of Rates, where “precoated stone chips” is an approved
work item, mechanized surface dressing with precoated stone chips would cost Rs. 2.96 lakhs
per km. This is still about 40% of the cost of premix carpet.
Farmhouse Owner
Well then, I have made my firm decision. Please provide bituminous surface on my gravel
approach road using mechanized bituminous surface dressing with precoated stone chips. I
understand the total work will cost me Rs. 2.96 lakhs.
Road Contractor

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Yes, I will execute the work as soon as possible. Surface dressing work goes much faster than
premix carpet.
Farmhouse Owner
That’s fine. One question is still bothering me. If I can save Rs. 4.92 lakhs on my 1-km approach
road by using mechanized surface dressing with precoated stone chips in lieu of premix carpet,
how much India can save on its vast network of rural roads constructed/maintained under the
Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) and by the various state PWDs? Can you
please estimate?
Road Contractor
According to the Ministry of Rural Development, over 5,30,000 km of roads have been
constructed under the PMGSY programme. These roads are resurfaced with premix carpet every
5 years (although many roads generally develop potholes in 1-2 years especially during
monsoons). Then there are rural roads maintained by the state PWDs. Thousands of km of new
PMGSY and state rural roads are constructed every year. I believe India can save at least Rs.
10,000 crores every year by rightfully switching from premix carpet to surface dressing.
Farmhouse Owner
That’s really an eye-opener for me. Our Chandrayaan-2 is going to cost us less than Rs. 1,000
crores. We can send 10 Chandrayaan missions every year if we can use mechanized surface
dressing for our low to medium-trafficked roads like the rest of the world in doing in lieu of
premix carpet which is based on “conventional wisdom” rather than fundamental highway
engineering principles. How can we make such a “game changer” decision?
Road Contractor
Only Hon. Prime Minister Modi can order this switch over from undesirable and “untechnical”
premix carpet to surface dressing for construction and resurfacing of our rural roads across India.
This can best be done by simply deleting the item of premix carpet altogether from all Indian
highway construction specifications issued by Rural Roads Manual, Indian Roads Congress and
MORTH. I hope somebody who has direct access to Hon. Modi can bring this important national
issue to his personal attention.
*************************************************************
The preceding easy-to-follow dialog which is based on technical facts was created by me in
national interest. Highway engineers who would like to read about the technical highway
engineering fundamentals behind this dialog should access the article at the following link:
https://www.scribd.com/document/393762772/Durable-and-Economical-Technology-for-
Bituminous-Surfacing-of-Rural-Roads-in-India

The Ministry of Rural Development (MORD) is the farmhouse owner for the entire country and
therefore must act honestly. In the past, some engineers have only given lame excuses as to why
they cannot implement the changeover from premix carpet to surface dressing. They have stated
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mechanized equipment is not available in India for surface dressing, which is completely false. It
is. They have also stated that they would like to set up some demo projects for surface dressing,
which is just an excuse for delaying the implementation. Construction of surface dressing is not a
rocket science; it has been done routinely in the past. The Indian Roads Congress (IRC)
Specification for Surface Dressing IRC:110 is very simple and can be understood easily by
contractors and government engineers. MORD has to just call for tenders referring to IRC:110
Specification. It would get done. Yes, it would require conviction, will and guts for MORD to do
it in great national interest.

Regards,
Prof. Prithvi Singh Kandhal
Jaipur
pkandhal@gmail.com
Homepage: www.eng.auburn.edu/users/kandhps

“American roads are good not because America is rich, but America is rich because
American roads are good.” - John F. Kennedy

About the Writer

Prof. Prithvi Singh Kandhal is Associate Director Emeritus of the National Center for Asphalt
Technology (NCAT) based at Auburn University, Alabama, U.S.A. NCAT is the largest asphalt
(bitumen) road technology center in the world.

Prior to joining NCAT in 1988, Prof. Kandhal served as Chief Asphalt Road Engineer of the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for 17 years. He has led many national and
international asphalt related organizations.

Prof. Kandhal has published over 120 technical papers and has co-authored the first ever
textbook on asphalt road technology, which is used by more than 25 universities in the U.S. He
has travelled to various countries in Europe, South America, Middle East, China, Vietnam,
Japan, Singapore, and Australia to provide training and consulting services in asphalt (bitumen)
technology.

Prof. Kandhal has been a practicing highway engineer in India for over 20 years and in the US
for 30 years. In recent years, he has drafted many standards for the Indian Roads Congress
including specifications for dense graded bituminous mixes, stone matrix asphalt and readymade
pothole patching mix. He has now published in July 2016 the first ever textbook cum reference
book, “Bituminous Road Construction in India”.

In August 2011, Prof. Kandhal was inducted on the “Wall of Honour” established at the largest
asphalt road research center in the United States. In April 2012, he received the “Lifetime
Achievement Award in Asphalt Road Technology” from the International Association of Asphalt
Paving Technologists during their annual banquet held in Austin, Texas, USA.