Isn’t this something we all wanted? A machine that will literally fill potholes. Apart from the fact that we don’t want potholes at all, the stinging truth is that the state of the roads will remain the same for quite sometime. JCB seems to have a solution for this. The company has showcased its new pothole repair machine at the Central Road Research Institute. This machine will be quite handy to offer all of us a sigh of relief with its promise of quick road repair. It might also eliminate manual labourers in the process. Jointly developed by both JCB as well as CSIR-CRRI, this machine is based on the 3DX Backhoe Loader and was in development for more than a year. There are multiple JCB attachments as well as controls that are integrated on a 3DX Backhoe Loader to ensure that the repairs are done in a proper fashion.
CRRI is said to have given its emulsion-based formula for the filling mix. This along with the aforementioned mechanism ensures that potholes are duly filled. In no way does this alter the standard hydraulics, engine power, circuits and electrics of the basic 3DX machine. The wired circuits for the compactor as well as compressed air are fully integrated. Not only this, JCB’s advanced Telematics Technology called Livelink too will be fitted to this machine. It will ensure that the road repair progress will be given to the operator in real time. The operator too can monitor the location of the vehicle. its machine movement and other details.
At this moment, we are unsure when this will be pressed to service. If it gets the government nod, we can see many road contractors acquiring this. After all, these are the people who prepare the roads and at the sametime ensure that there is scope for improvement (wink wink!).
