PWD relaxes sourcing norms, pushes alternative road tech as bitumen crunch hits roadworks

Lucknow: Confronted with an acute shortage of bitumen after supply disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia, the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a fresh set of directions to bridge the widening demand-supply gap affecting road construction and repair works.

The latest order, the second within 15 days, aims to reduce dependence on conventional bitumen and keep projects on schedule across the state.

Engineer-in-chief and head of the department Ashok Kumar Dwivedi on Wednesday instructed senior engineers to permit contractors to use bitumen sourced from companies other than state-owned oil firms, a departure from the earlier procurement practice.

To ensure construction standards are not compromised, the department has mandated that any such bitumen must be certified by premier govt institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), National Institute of Technology (NIT) and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).

Alongside procurement flexibility, PWD has asked field engineers to conduct trials of MSS+ (modified mix seal surfacing plus), a technology developed by CSIR-CRRI in Aug last year. The method enables all-weather surfacing without heating aggregates or bitumen, reducing pollution and easing logistical constraints.

The technology has already been used in Uttar Pradesh for 202 km of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, including stretches completed in Aug last year in Nawabganj, Mankapur and Ambarpur areas of Gonda district.

With periodic repair works worth around Rs 1,200 crore lined up in the coming months, engineers have been directed to deploy cement-treated sub-base and cement-treated base in place of bitumen for greenfield and brownfield roads, highways, major district roads, other district roads and village roads.

Officials said the shift is intended to keep works moving despite material shortages and price volatility.

The department’s push for alternatives follows the chief minister’s intervention after PWD moved a proposal to the cabinet seeking permission to revise costs for ongoing works awarded earlier.

On May 20, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed senior officials to explore alternative construction options to manage the emerging constraints.

Bitumen prices have surged sharply amid global trade disruptions, rising from about Rs 40,000-Rs 50,000 per tonne to Rs 75,000-Rs 80,000 per tonne. In a recent office order, Dwivedi also empowered engineers across all 75 districts to prepare cement-based layers instead of bitumen and to adopt new technologies for urgent and periodic repairs.

“Due to unavailability of bitumen, road contractors would be allowed to use cement to prepare the base. We are not expecting too much deviation in the final cost estimates. Similarly, new technology would be deployed for spot repairs and seal surfacing,” a chief engineer said.