Nagpur’s Public Works Department plans to test a Lego-style precast concrete road on a 250-metre stretch of the Mhalgi Nagar–Hudkeshwar corridor, a move intended to reduce construction time and limit traffic disruption on a route serving schools, colleges and hospitals.
Unlike conventional cement concrete roads, which require an extended curing period before vehicles can use them, precast panels are manufactured in advance and assembled at the site. The approach could allow the PWD to complete road work in shorter phases while keeping traffic moving.
A PWD source told the Times of India that the work order is pending because of the model code of conduct. Work is expected to begin within a month, subject to the required clearances. The department plans to execute the project in phases, taking up one half of the road at a time so that the other half remains available for traffic.
The proposed trial comes as the corridor faces a long-standing maintenance problem. The road has not undergone substantial repairs for eight to 10 years, while the last patchwork was carried out around seven years ago, according to the report. The route’s institutional traffic makes prolonged closures particularly disruptive for daily commuters and emergency access.
Repair work has also been complicated by underground electric cables, water pipelines, telephone lines and traffic-signal cables. Conventional excavation carries the risk of damaging these services, adding to the administrative and operational difficulty of rebuilding the road. The PWD expects precast construction to reduce the need for extensive excavation.
Precast concrete roads have previously been tried in rural parts of Nagpur district and on the city’s outskirts. The proposed urban stretch will provide a test of whether the method can be used on a corridor with regular traffic and a dense network of buried utilities.
The project will begin with 250 metres rather than the full corridor, allowing the department to assess execution and quality before considering a wider rollout. If the trial succeeds, the technology could be extended to other stretches carrying heavy traffic, where conventional road construction can keep lanes closed for longer periods.
The PWD is currently undertaking contractor selection and has said that quality assurance will be prioritised before execution. The start of work remains dependent on the work order, statutory clearances and the lifting of the model code of conduct.
