Paul John | TNN Ahmedabad: This novel technology of road repair could be an eye opener for state roads, building departments and the seven municipal corporations of Gujarat. New micro surfacing method of road repair introduced in Gujarat for the first time by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) not only reduces the cost of road repair by half, but also increases road life by three times. The Spanish technology, which is being experimented on a total of 11-km stretch on Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway, will begin in 10 days. A road resurfacing by conventional methods costs Rs 350 per square metre. NHAI plans to bring down the cost to Rs 180-200 per square metre using this method. Not only this, the average life of a repaired road by conventional method does not exceed five years in the state. But with micro surfacing, the average life expectancy of a road is expected to be 15 years. Micro surfacing involves a mixture of just three to six millimetre bitumen aggregate which is treated with a special emulsion. The layer is then neatly caste on the section of the road that requires repair. The traditional method of road repair involves preparing 30-40 millimetre thick dense of bituminous aggregate, that often suffers during monsoons. Vinod Shah, AGM (projects), Ramky infrastructure, who have been approached by NHAI for maintenance of expressway says, "The machine for micro surfacing has arrived from Delhi. We had experimented with it in Hyderabad and it was worth it." "There is tremendous cost sav; ing in the method. Firstly, the road life is 15 years in micro surfacing which saves on at least two road repairs, while the costs involved in procurement and preparation of material is half," says a senior NHAI official. "Water and bitumen are enemies and maximum damages happen during rains. Often, water seeps through the road and plays truant. Our concern are overloaded trucks that often lead to early road damage. Special emulsion on micro surfaced road prevents water seepage and prevents extended damage of the road,' adds the NHAI official.