The project has been taken up by the Central Corporation, which has floated the tenders now, with the demonstration held on the road between the Vidhana Soudha and M.S. Building. If the technology proves effective, it is proposed to be used for pothole repairs across the city’s five corporations, Mr. Byre Gowda said, pointing out that the machine is meant for potholes up to 50 mm (two inches) depth and not for deeper road damage.
“Potholes are spread across Bengaluru. In some places, only the top layer of asphalt has worn away, while in others, both the asphalt and underlying aggregate have deteriorated, leading to deeper potholes,” Mr. Byre Gowda said, adding that different repair methods would be needed depending on the nature of the damage.
The jet patcher cleans dust and loose material from the pothole, applies bitumen emulsion, and places the repair mix, following which the repaired portion is compacted using a plate compactor. Traffic can resume about 10 minutes after the repair.