Indian Real Estate

TODAY, OVER 10 years after their introduction in the region, they are everywhere - in educational institutions, industrial establishments, temples, railway stations, etc, and in a big way at that.

Paver block's journey - as most new products - started from the metros, particularly petrol refuelling stations. The bunks in cities began using the blocks to cover barren ground - this was part of the process where the gas stations underwent a facelift with neon lights, raised canopies, etc.

In a big way

"They were the first ones to use the blocks in a big way a decade ago. Even today they are the industries' biggest clients," says S.K. Rajeshwaran of R.M. Concrete, Erode. From the metro stations, those on highways took the cue, and these in turn led petrol bunks in every nook and corner use the blocks.

Then, a decade ago, the blocks came in only a few designs - mostly hexagonal - and the colour, too, was mostly grey. And, with the market in its nascent stage, there were only very few manufacturers.

In Erode and its neighbouring areas there were only a couple of paver block manufacturers, who were mostly people into hollow-brick manufacturing. This was because it was easier for them to switch over, as the means of production is almost the same - except that the cement-fly ash-sand ratio varies marginally and so does the mould for pressing the blocks.

The extensive use of the blocks in petrol bunks spread to industrial units, particularly export houses in Tirupur that embraced it in a big way. "When knitwear manufacturers in Tirupur turned exporters, visited foreign countries where such blocks are widely used, they took a cue from there. Another reason they used the blocks is that they wanted their units to look good when buyers from abroad visited their factories," says S.C. Chenniappan of Chinaman Pavers, Perundurai. Majority of his clients are Tirupur export houses.

Next to use the blocks were industries and educational institutions. Here, too, the reason was more or less the same, in that, they wanted to beautify their campuses and the blocks only fit in well.

The blocks did not just fit in well; they could also be easily replaced any number of times. This is because the blocks are only laid closely over a bed of lose sand, meaning the blocks can be removed, stored and reused as many times as possible. They are not cemented.

"Remove, re-fix and reuse - these are the greatest advantages the blocks enjoy. Unlike a cement platform they don't develop cracks, can withstand heavy vehicles such as lorries - a reason for prevalence in petrol bunks - and are easy to lay," points out Mr. Rajeshwaran.

Easy to open

"Another advantage," Mr. Chenniappan says, "is that when industries want to lay pipelines, telephone cables or undertake any underground work, the blocks come as the best possible solution on the ground - easy to open and quick to relay."

In the cities, shopping malls and corporate offices and IT parks took care of the paver block manufacturers' business. Even civic bodies embraced the blocks and used them on pedestrian pathways.

In the cities, though, the use was largely recommended by a building consultant or an architect. "The architects, and in particular, landscape artists had a major role in promoting the blocks in cities," says C. Devarajan of URC Constructions, Erode. He had used them extensively in several of his projects.

Apart from the aesthetic appeal and its reusability, the blocks enjoy another plus - they allow rainwater harvesting. "Unlike concrete floors they let rainwater down and the sand bed beneath it takes care of the percolation," says Mr. Devarajan, adding that they do not radiate heat like concrete.

Today, after their extensive use the blocks have reinvented themselves in the hands of manufacturers. They come in different shapes and colours. There are also interlocking pavers, flexi pavers etc.

The latter is unique, in that, it allows grass to grow in between. "This is a big hit now. Narrow strips of grass between blocks appear as though the entire covered area is green. Many people are now going in for it," says Mr. Rajeshwaran.

However, the blocks have not yet entered individual houses. Probably it may be the next market, feels Mr. Devarajan.

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# posted by mashup @ 11:06 AM