# Why Indian roads crumble every monsoon: the science 2026-08-25T18:41:31+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Monsoon rains wreck Indian roads through four distinct mechanisms, the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) explains. Water strips the bitumen coating from stone chips, softens the ground beneath, builds up hydraulic pressure that hollows out layers, and combines with the extreme summer heat that softens the binder and lets tyres rut the surface. India's highway rulebook (Section 500) requires anti-stripping additives only when the contractor's chosen stone is known to bond poorly, leaving wide discretion at field level. Stripping is the primary cause: many Indian stones, especially granites and quartzites, are water-loving and bond better with water than with bitumen. Anti-stripping additives such as hydrated lime can fix the issue, but the contractor decides when to use them. The cycle of summer softening and monsoon saturation then fatigues the pavement from opposite directions across the year. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India builds and maintains roads through a tangle of agencies depending on road width and location, with most work done by private contractors. The CRRI has set national road testing standards since 1952, yet the rulebook leaves the call on anti-stripping additives to the contractor. A 2023 NITI Aayog report estimated that India loses over Rs 60,000 crore annually in vehicle damage and accidents due to poor road conditions. The ministry of road transport and highways is expected to update Section 500 next year, which could mandate additives for all bituminous work. That revision, if it comes, will determine whether next monsoon repeats the same pattern. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Explains road damage mechanisms through engineering sources without political slant This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: CRRI, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NITI Aayog Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/why-indian-roads-crumble-every-monsoon-the-science/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/why-indian-roads-crumble-every-monsoon-the-science/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/