₹10 Lakh Project With a 10-Year GuaranteeShirole approached Rekondo, a company based in Churchgate, Mumbai, for the project. At a time when petrol cost just ₹0.80 per litre and gold was priced at ₹400 per 10 grams, the company quoted ₹10 lakh for the road. Despite the amount being considered substantial, Shirole agreed to pay ₹15 lakh instead.
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However, a strict condition was laid down: the road must remain crack-free for 10 years, and if any damage occurred, the company would repair it free of cost. In return, the municipal corporation assured that no digging would be carried out on the road.
The Brain Behind the RoadThe credit for JM Road’s robust construction goes to British engineer Norman Henry Taylor, founder and managing director of Rekondo. Born in England in 1903, Taylor had also worked in Singapore and held three global patents related to asphalt road construction. He used hot-mix technology for JM Road, in which bitumen and aggregates are heated to 160 degrees Celsius, evenly spread, and compacted—making the road durable and crack-free.
A 50-Year LegacyThe 2.3-kilometre-long JM Road was handed over to the Pune Municipal Corporation on January 1, 1976. Today, the road carries metro services, heavy traffic, large showrooms, and malls, yet its original strength remains intact. Although an additional surface layer was added in 2013–14, the no-digging policy has ensured the road’s longevity. JM Road’s 50-year journey stands as a benchmark for road construction across Indian cities.
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