The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) says 75 per cent of road repair costs can be saved if the drainage system is improved in Delhi city. PK Jain, head of the department and chief scientist at CRRI, says, the number one reason for bad roads is poor drainage. If the drainage system is improved, 75 per cent of road repair costs can be saved. The scientist adds that even roads built using good technology deteriorate quickly because of the poor drainage along roads, where side drains have been left choked or encroached upon.

Last year, the PWD, which manages more than 2,000 km of roads in Delhi, spent Rs 1,888 crore on repairing 674 roads. The three municipal corporations, which manage 27,139km of roads between them, also spent many crores on road repair. CRRI experts, however, say roads can be kept in good condition despite the poor drainage by changing technology and road construction material. There are several alternative technologies that can be used for road construction.

These are faster and better, said Jain. From quick-fix solutions to repair of potholes and better alternatives to build a specific road, CRRI recommends a host of materials and technologies that civic agencies should be using in the city.