VIJAYAWADA: The multipurpose high technology network survey vehicles belonging to Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) for collection of high quality data on asset-related parameters on R&B roads in Andhra Pradesh, were formally introduced in the state by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
The data collection on entire road network would be completed by August, 2016, stated the officials of AP Road Development Corporation of R&B department,. The works have been initiated for road management system under road sector project with World Bank loan assistance. The project cost is worth Rs 20 crore, out of which the government is going to spend Rs 6 crore on the data collection of R&B road network of 41,000 km in the state.
The initiative taken by the government is to create a data base covering all R&B roads, which would be the first of its kind in India, the officials explained. The data collection using network survey vehicle has been awarded to ARRB on competitive bidding basis, they explained. Minister for road transport Sidda Raghava Rao said that with this technology, the department would improve quality of roads.
This data would be collected by using Hawkeye network survey vehicle fitted with digital laser profilers, digital cameras, GPS system, crack detection equipment and data acquisition system. During the data collection one more vehicle fitted with falling weight deflectometer will be used to collect pavement structural deflection to assess the strength of the pavement for assessing remaining life and strengthening requirements. The data could be used by the R&B offices for planning, design, operation and maintenance management.
