Interlock craze grips Thiruvananthapuram councillors

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Around 44 city councillors, especially the ones in water logging- prone areas,  have requested the city corporation to fund interlocking tiles project for bylanes in the ward. The draft budget proposals plan around 75 different interlock tiled roads ranging from 50 to 200 metres and beyond. Similarly, market premises across the city will also be using more interlock tiles.

“The constant digging up of roads by Kerala Water Authority (KWA) leaves craters in both concretised roads as well as tarred ones. So most councillors in the city have demanded interlock tiles in their wards,” said Corporation Works Standing Committee chairperson Shafeera Beegam.

The low-lying wards such as Kuriyathi, Kamaleswaram, Manacaud and wards such as Edappazhinji, Pattom and Keshavadaspuram will opt for interlocking tiles in many  lanes. Previous interlocking tile experiments in Ambalathara, Edappazhinji and Valiyathura wards did not show any notable disadvantages, claim corporation officials.

“The interlock laying is expensive than even tarring but over the times it will turn profitable. Laying of interlocked tiles once could avoid at least cycles of work,” Ms Beegam added.   In certain flood-prone areas, existing concrete roads will be demolished and relayed to ensure seepage of water into earth.

“Due to state government norms,  the roads under corporation and panchayat roads cannot be made durable like highways though vehicle densities on such roads are high. They cannot be concretised using bituminous concrete. This leads to potholes especially in water logging-prone areas. So interlocking can be an alternative to the plain tarring that is done.  They are aesthetically good,” said a corporation engineer.