Fresh norms soon to curb road collapses in hilly areas, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Union government will introduce new guidelines focusing on slope stabilisation to prevent road collapses in hilly areas following recent disasters in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
• The new guidelines will mandate slope stabilisation before road construction in hilly regions.
• Concessionaire agreements will be revised to include these requirements for future projects.
• Damage to National Highways was mostly observed in sections constructed along riverbanks.

Detailed Insights:

• The government is addressing concerns about highway damage due to cloudbursts and floods in hilly regions.
• Current practices treat slope stabilisation as a post-construction measure, which the new guidelines aim to change.
• The revised concessionaire agreements will ensure that private companies involved in road construction adhere to the new slope stabilisation norms.
• Constructing roads along riverbanks poses specific challenges that contribute to highway damage during natural disasters.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Slope Stabilisation: Techniques used to prevent landslides and erosion on slopes, ensuring stability.
• Concessionaire Agreement: A contract granting rights to a private entity to operate and maintain a project.