CSIR-CRRI will provide scientific support for road development, pavement quality, road safety audits and infrastructure planning in Visakhapatnam.
CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) will work with the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to improve road safety and road infrastructure in the city.
A high-level meeting was convened by Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament Shri M. Bharath Garu at the VMRDA office. A senior CSIR-CRRI delegation led by its Director, Dr. Ch. Ravi Sekhar, attended the meeting along with senior officials from GVMC and VMRDA.
Road Safety and Infrastructure Priorities
The meeting focused on developing a scientific and structured approach to road improvement in Visakhapatnam.
Shri Ketan Garg, IAS, Municipal Commissioner, GVMC; Shri P. V. V. Satyanarayana, Chief Engineer, GVMC; and Shri Vinay Kumar, Chief Engineer, VMRDA, attended the meeting.
From CSIR-CRRI, Dr. G. Bharat, Dr. Sampath Kumar P., Dr. P. S. Prasad and Dr. K. Ravinder presented technologies and solutions related to flexible pavements, road performance evaluation, subgrade improvement and urban road safety.
GVMC, with support from VMRDA, has undertaken a major road infrastructure programme across eight constituencies. The programme covers around 228 km of roads, 34 km of central medians and more than 1,550 street lights.
It also includes the upgradation of gravel and WBM roads to BT and CC standards and improvements at key junctions.
CSIR-CRRI’s technical expertise is expected to support better planning, quality control and long-term pavement performance.
CSIR-CRRI to Support Road Improvement
During the meeting, the MP highlighted several priorities for the city.
These include bridge assessments, quality control of road projects and deployment of an i-RASTE-type intelligent road safety system. The discussions also covered end-to-end pavement solutions for Visakhapatnam.
The participants also discussed structured training for contractors and engineers on road construction and safety.
The MP noted that Visakhapatnam’s port, industrial base, expanding metropolitan region and coastal location require durable and scientifically designed road infrastructure.
Road Safety Audits and Pavement Solutions
The discussions covered several areas where CSIR-CRRI can provide technical support.
These include end-to-end paving, construction of new roads and reconditioning of existing roads. The institute will also study road erosion, urban flooding and coastal erosion.
Other areas include pedestrian facilities, road and road safety audits, rationalisation of speed breakers and development of a modern Road Asset Management System.
These measures are aimed at improving road quality, safety and long-term asset management across the city.
CSIR-CRRI, GVMC and VMRDA to Formalise Cooperation
Dr. Ch. Ravi Sekhar, Director, CSIR-CRRI, and Dr. Vinod Karar, Chief Scientist, assured the participants of speedy action on the proposed Memoranda of Agreement/Understanding (MoA/MoU).
One proposed agreement will be between CSIR-CRRI and GVMC. The second will be between CSIR-CRRI and VMRDA.
The proposed agreements will cover the identified areas of technical and scientific cooperation. They will also facilitate the application of CSIR-CRRI’s road research expertise to Visakhapatnam’s infrastructure projects.
The MP called for detailed planning and a clear, time-bound action plan. He urged the civic bodies and CSIR-CRRI to move quickly from discussions to implementation.
Joint Road Survey Begins
Dr. Ch. Ravi Sekhar assured the gathering that CSIR-CRRI would work closely with GVMC and VMRDA. The institute will nominate nodal officers, conduct joint site visits and identify priority road stretches.
As an initial step, the CSIR-CRRI team, along with Shri Shanti Raju, Executive Engineer, GVMC, surveyed selected road stretches in Visakhapatnam.
The survey covered road conditions, geometric design and road safety parameters. It also examined road signs, junction improvements, pedestrian facilities and road distress.
The findings from these assessments will help identify priority interventions and support the development of a structured road improvement programme for Visakhapatnam.
Source: PIB
