GUWAHATI, May 3 � �The Northeastern region having extreme weather conditions like heavy rainfall, landslides or floods needs roads that are more sustainable requiring zero maintenance for at least three to five years. But at the same time, emphasis should also be given to utilise locally available material to reduce the transportation cost.�
Dr S Gangopadhyay, Director of Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), while stressing on the requirement of more research and development activities to develop safe, speedy and efficient road transportation system with minimal total transportation cost,�said that the NE region has tremendous potential of utilising the resources.
Also putting emphasis on adopting a holistic approach towards the entire transport system, he said that safe river routes should also be developed to ease the congestion on the roads. �Research activities are also required to develop all the modes of transport and make it suitable for the present-day needs. In future, there is a plan of a unified system to look after the entire transportation system,� he added.
Gangopadhyay was in Guwahati to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CSIR-CRRI and the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), a unit of ERD Foundation, for promoting research, development and innovation in the region in the areas of roads, pavement design, environment and road safety.
On behalf of ERDF, its chairman M Hoque signed the MoU in the presence of J Parasar, controller of administration, Dr A Saurikhia, senior scientist of CSIR-CRRI, many eminent personalities and officials of ERDF.
Following the MoU, the CRRI would be recognised as an accredited research centre for research and study directed by University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya and Regional Institute of Science and Technology. Similarly, qualified scientists, scholars and professionals of CRRI would be considered as the accredited faculty and guide for different research and teaching programmes.
Addressing the gathering, M Hoque said that according to the MoU, seminars and workshops would be organised jointly by ERDF and CRRI in association with the engineers of roads and bridges of the different States of the NE region. �This will help in upgrading the technology suitable for local needs,� he added.
