SLOPE PROTECTION MEASURES AT INDUSTRIAL PARK, TALEGAON, MH

JV of Hiranandani Group and Blackstone Group, Greenbase Industrial & Logistics Park is developing an industrial part spreading across 400 acres at Talegaon. The North side cut slopes on Sector 4 have been identified to have rockfall and erosion problems. The surface morphology of soil strata shows soil with dense, sandy gravelly soil (murrum) with vegetation over the slope. Exposed cut slope is always at risk of eroding due to reasons such as heavy precipitation during the rainy season, water infiltration, gradient, drainage issues, etc. which eventually leads to slides that are dangerous and poses harm to the people and infrastructure below. Hence, it is pertinent to address the need for protecting the slope in order to control erosion by vegetative measures.

Slope protection measures and drainage measures are devised after a judicious assessment of the slope angle and extent of erosion. Removal of deposited debris and loose scaling is done over the slope where already inadequate slope protection measures were provided and failed. To address erosion control and surficial instability, a combination of self-drilling anchors of 32mm dia, MacMat R (steel reinforced synthetic geomat) and bio-engineering measures have been applied. As a system, it holds the soil in place on slopes and provides root reinforcement during the early stages of plant growth which is necessary for natural vegetation to resist the extreme effects of wind and water erosion. MacMat R Steel is used with soil bio-engineering techniques to reduce surface runoff and it helps in creating hospitable conditions for plant invasion, establishment and high moisture containment. The vegetation has already started growing on the protected slope within a short period of time.

The system proposed induces surficial strengthening, reduces erosion and promotes the growth of vegetation on the exposed cut portions for long term protection. These solutions are conforming to MoRTH - Specifications for Road & Bridge Works (5th Revision) and IRC: 56.

Separate measures such as rockfall mitigation are also adopted suitably for other identified locations nearby.