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-   -   Does tire grip depend on the road asphalt quality? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/107110-does-tire-grip-depend-road-asphalt-quality-2.html)

Then why is not a standard quality of tarmac maintained across all the roads in the country? Is cost cutting a reason since the authorities feel that rural roads do not warrant high quality asphalt?And compromise on safety aspect?

The design of asphalt mix is based on a lot of factors, primarily :
. Traffic Density and composition
. Terrain
. Temperature range
. Nature of the road - all weather, fair weather, all year, partial (as in the case of the Manali Leh road)
. Environmental damage
In short it has to be tailored to the local conditions, and one size fits all is not possible.

Of course cost plays an important role, we do not have unlimited funds. A good highway (Asphalt) costs about one crore per lane per kilometer to construct and about 10% annually to maintain. What may be economic/feasible for a busy National Highway, may not be so in case of a Village Road. Again as in case of hill roads, if the road is going to washed away regularly due to land slides, you do not use material which has long term benefits, but use what can be laid fast and lasts a season!

Again there is a lot more to a modern highway than its surface. If you notice when a new road is being constructed, the carriageway is nearly a meter thick with layers of soil, stones, asphalt with large stones, asphalt with small stones and finally the top layer. Shortcoming in materials or labour in any layer will result in a sub standard road, leading to early failure.