Geo-textile?s promises in Meghalaya

Meghalaya is set to introduce ?geo-textile and geo-cell? technology for construction of roads, besides also undertaking erosion and flood control embankments in the State under the initiative of National Textile Corporation Limited (NTCL), a Government of India Undertaking.

Geo-textiles are technical textiles used for the purpose of geo-technical application like road and railway, reinforced steep slopes, walls, landfills, brownfields, coastline protections, tunneling, sinkholes, granular columns, among others. A pilot project will be taken up shortly in West Garo Hills by applying the new technology, which will be implemented by NTCL.

NTCL officials recently inspected a site for the project at Ballonggre, near Tura. NTCL director (marketing) Aloke Banerjee gave a presentation to Chief Minister Mukul Sangma recently which was also attended by PWD officials and DC-in-charge, Dikki D Shira.

Banerjee highlighted how the geo-textile technology will help to improve the stability of the soil, which would increase the viability and strength of the road. He said that the technology can be used for all weather road as well as kutcha road in the villages. He explained that roads could be strengthened by judicious use of geocells, which ensure reduction in thickness of pavement section, using less of granular material.

?Geo-cells can be used to strengthen unpaved roads as well as roads paved by precast concrete paver blocks?, he added. The technology would help in maintaining the integrity of the road section, prevent over-topping of the road surface, etc.?, said Banerjee on drainage solution for hilly roads.

The government will also look at possibilities of using the technology for strengthening embankment along the Jinjiram river in plain belt areas of West Garo Hills, which is prone to flood. The company will also provide technology for sloping along the roads, which are prone to landslide by using ?geo-cell? technology. The NTCL has taken up embankment project along the Brahmaputra in Assam using the geo-bag technology, which has been mooted for projects in Meghalaya.