“UTWT” A successful technology designed for pavement in Thane.

A story of team work of people ,burocrates,engineer,scientist

Dr.V.V.Deshmukh

It was first june 2007  I first mate Mr K.D Lala City Engineer Thane Municipal Corporation in Mayor Mrs Smita Indulkar’s office. It was possible that because of her  I could meet TMC official  and discuss with them UTWT(Ultra Thin White Topping)a technology suitable for rehabilitation of bituminous macadam roads. Mr K.D.Lala called me again and asked  to present new development to his technical staff. Though he  and mayor were ready to try the technology in Thane city there was a major resistance  from the standing committee on the pretext that it is a new technology not tested earlier .we should not venture the  risk and waste money and time. The proposal of UTWT technology was rejected in standing committee of TMC

At that time I was just retired from ACCLTD.I could have got the support of ACC but it has been purchased by worlds one of the largest cement manufacturer M/S HOLCIM LTD. It is a Swiss company having business across the world. They were  not ready at that time to support new technology Though the proposal of UTWT was rejected in standing committee Mr K.D.Lala who is a technocrat and mayor being my sister had faith on me and technology

During that period Thane being industrial town there was a spurt in vehicular traffic and human population both were increasing rapidly. Because of heavy rain and more axle load of vehicle than the design value the BM roads were cracking. Very bad situation of roads with big potholes

In the mean time though the proposal got rejected  in the standing committee of TMC there was a public pressure  expressing anger. The issue has been seriously taken  by Mr Vilas Samant a Shiv-Sena Corporatar from Ghantali  

He raised a voice in the municipality saying a local person who with confidence is advocating the UTWT Technology why not giving a chance. This was as per the shiv sena policy to give chance to local person. There was a pressure from residence of the locality. There was also a pressure from media news paper.

The matter was referred to the next standing committee .where the committee has agreed the proposal but not ready for sanctioning the funds for the project. Here again Mr Vilas Samant offered the project money from his funds and finally the project got the nod from the Standing Committee.

The city engineer   immediately assigned two engineers and we started working on the project

During the year 2007 Indian economy was growing at 8-9% of GDP This development to sustain need better infrastructure. In our country the roads are in bad shape. Increase in axle load than the design of the road the condition of the road remain very poor.

All the Govt Institute and Organization like ACC started working on alternate cheaper concrete technology which is comparative to cost of bituminous macadam road and have a life of twenty years.

I started working on high strength material at reduced cost.During this stage there was significant development in admixture the poly carboxyl ether based admixture Glenium molecule have changed the concrete technology that we were getting M-25-M-35 grade concrete  we can get M50-M60 grade concrete. In order to cut down the cost additives like  flyash, ggbs were used.The optimum mix was prepared and used in laying UTWT in Thane. by using  small dosages of the admixture

In the year 2007 it was difficult to even pronounce the word UTWT. Today after six years even the peon of TMC knows of UTWT.

Generally people in the office do not venture in to new things because nobody like  failure in the record book during office tenure. The engineers were also not keen to complete the job.

The responsibility was on my shoulder . I have selected the initial trial patch , one was  in front of Vilas Sawant's office near Ghantali Mandir . It was a good omen for me . I was to try my first adventure with Goddess Ghantali.

Mr Lala and his team helped me in arranging the concrete mix which I have designed and developed in R & D division of ACC which is also situated in Thane.

The road was full of pot holes . It was monsoon days and the potholes were full of monsoon water, besides it was nightmare for the people who were walking on such a road. The vehicular traffic was more though was not of heavy vehicles or trucks  but   cars and auto rickshaws.

It was decided to carry out the laying job during night when traffic is less . It was Sept 2007 I lay my first patch of UTWT. I owe and appreciate Mr K.D. Lala who was supportive till the end . I also got support from Mr Vilas Sawant because the road was in his constituency . I could not sleep for three days due to anxiety of the outcome of the laying .When I went the next morning to inspect the road, I went alone but when I saw the road condition it was the same as I had expected to be. Nothing had happened to the road in terms of its damage or cracks.. It was the same what I saw during laying .

The days passed,  the years have passed, the road is still in good condition which I have seen in 2007.

Mr Lala also judged the merits of the technology and offer me more roads to try. He was aware that though I have developed the technology I have no infrastructure to carry out the laying work He suggested me to meet Mr Suhas Mehta of M/s SMC Infra Ltd. He being a professional business man said yes to me and we started laying many roads in Thane. We have experimented this technology at different traffic conditions and different subbase conditions.

We laid the roads in all conditions by modification in mix design. He has also tried other technologies and judged the UTWT is the best for Thane city . He has declared the UTWT technology as successful technology which was published in Times of India ,Thane edition of 1^st October 2013 and decided that Thane city Inner roads be completed with UTWT technology.