India’s Construction prowess
Dr. Ranjit Singh
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As construction in India takes to new heights, the multi-billion industry is all geared up to implement infrastructure projects that encompass housing units, bridges, roads, highways, flyovers, tunnels, barrages, jetties, tanks – and all those myriads of basic structures that build sinews of the nation. Top ranking architects, engineers, surveyors and grass-root construction workers contribute their skills and knowledge to give shape to our dreams. Whereas additional opportunities present themselves in the wake of disasters like last year’s Gujarat quake and Afghan war, innovations are embraced with alacrity. Adequate funding and training of workers are the two issues that require serious attention. |
Intelligent Building: Technopolis Knowledge Park from Tata Housing
is conceived as the workplace of the future. The Honeywell Building
Automation System controls and monitors the centralised air-conditioning,
smoke & fire detection alarm systems.Whether it is bringing shape to Prime Minister’s vision of Golden Quadrilateral of highways, or actualising dreams of Delhi’s citizens for a Metro Rail, the construction industry plays a pivotal role. That this industry imparts fillip to a nation’s economy is just stating the obvious. Working silently behind the scene are a host of companies and organisations that have done India proud. One could certainly recount them with great deal of admiration.
Whereas construction giants like Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Construction Company, Gammon India, Bridge & Roof, Simplex Concrete Piles, Som Datt Builders, Bhageeratha Engineering Co, Jai Prakash Industries have given the nation landmark monuments like the Lotus Temple; Konkan Railway; Vidyasagar Setu; world’s longest bridge on a river and so on — others like Tata Housing, Hudco, Unitech, DLF have made significant contributions in implementing innovative designs in the housing sector.
Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), Overseas Construction Council of India (OCCI), Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and others are playing epochal role in arduous task of grappling with the ever-emerging challenges posed by policy & environment issues, inducting new technologies, ensuring quality, training of workers, funding requirements, contractual matters and so on.
In fact the stakes are very high — issues are even more complex. Consider for example, the current feverish activity on the Delhi Metro project. Blasting activity must not disturb the nearby students preparing for their annual exams; the air-conditioning system and the train must run even when there is a power shut down in the city. And who knows as this project is fast nearing its stipulated dates of completion, terrorists are feeling a glee in their stomachs for opportunity of an adventure of the 9/11 kind!
Making a Mark Overseas
For the war-ravaged country of Afghanistan, Indian construction companies are counting upon the satisfactory track record of past years in implementing construction projects overseas. Som Datt, Chairman of Overseas Construction Council of India emphasizes that Indian companies should present a united front in dealing with enormous challenges of reconstruction of Afghanistan.
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Indian project exporters have executed and implemented quite a number of commendable projects world-wide since the times the Indian companies crossed the boundaries of our country. And the Middle-East, especially, had been a very happy experience for Indian project exporters. The extensive expertise and experience thus, gained by Indian companies have not only widened their capabilities but have also added to their emphasis on self-reliance in building up the country’s huge economic base over the years thereby enabling them to successfully undertake large number of projects in different sectors of economic development as well as fields of specialisations both in India and overseas. Indian engineering construction companies have not only progressed in their technological advancements but, as spin-offs, have helped open new avenues for supply of materials, plants & equipment, consultancy services and highly skilled work-force to the overseas projects. The operational and technological expertise of the Indian project exporters in terms of their knowledge, skills and experience as well as the adaptable and trained human resource lends a definite advantage, so essential for the efficient execution of projects. |
“Indian companies should join hands to present a united front for reconstruction projects in Afghanistan” —Dr. Som Datt, Chairman Overseas Construction Council of India and Chairman, Som Datt Group |
| Table 1 Tala Hydroelectric Project | |
| Name of Project | Tala Hydroelectric Project (currently under execution by HCC) |
| Client | Tala Hydroelectric Project Authority, Bhutan |
| Consultant | Water & Power Consultancy Services(India) Ltd, (A Government of India Undertaking), New Delhi. |
| Location | Geduchu, Bhutan |
| Duration | 66 Months (1999 - 2004) |
| Value | INR. 9,009 Lakhs |
| Salient features |
* This is one of the Major Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan, indented to supply power to India. The project in total involves 91mtr high Gravity Dam, 22.4Km long Head Race Tunnel, huge underground power house and other related works. * The scope of work covered under this contract is part of 22.4Km long Head Race Tunnel accessed by 975mtr long Adit from Geduchu. It is also one of the major underground tunneling project being undertaken by us especially in the Himalayan range . * All the underground work is done basically by drilling and blasting method. The tunneling operation is fully mechanized with imported equipment like 2 boom Drill Jumbo’s, Boltec, Low Profile Dumper trucks, Shotcreting pump. The lining work of complete Head Race Tunnel is planned with unique mobile form work system |
Overseas Construction Council of India (OCCI) has been a pivotal organisation for promoting export of:
i) Projects:
* Civil / construction engineering
* Industrial (turnkey / engineering)
* Consultancy
ii) Building & Construction Materials
"Indian project exporters have executed projects worldwide in almost all the aforesaid sectors," quips Mr Datt.
Project exports, as a service, essentially connotes ‘engineering and erecting projects’ overseas. Project exports signify technological advancement of any country. It does indicate the status of technology and other attendant inputs that give visibility to the Indian technical expertise and project execution capability in the form of overseas projects.
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These projects whether in the form of civil/construction engineering projects or industrial (turnkey/engineering) plants in various sectors of economic and industrial development do involve activities such as designing, engineering (basic or detailed), procurement, construction/commissioning as well as provision of all kinds of supplies, consultancy, technology, technical or process know-how and/or other such project related services. The projects, the Indian companies have secured and executed over the years can be briefly and broadly categorised in the following sectors of economic development and do undoubtedly show the diversity of technologies and expertise employed as depicted in Table 2. Major markets for Indian project exporters have been currently identified to be in the following regions : * South Asia (SAARC) |
Table 2 Diversity and depth of Indian construction companies | |
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i) Civil / Construction Engineering Projects: a. Agriculture & Natural Resources |
ii) Industrial (Turnkey / Engineering) Projects: (a) Metals & Minerals (b) Food & Agro processing: Wood / Paper (c) Energy (d) Chemicals / Petrochemicals- fuels, fertilizers,drugs / pharmaceuticals (e) Textiles (f) Transport & Telecommunications (g) Miscellaneous |
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Innovative Solutions
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A national programme, in coordination with the Ministries of Energy and Environment, and other Central/State Ministries, is in progress for the productive utilisation of coal-ash for variety of uses such as cement manufacturing, sintered aggregates, bricks, cellular concrete blocks and road construction, etc. It is proposed to promote building materials production units based on utilisation of phosphogypsum, red mud, industrial slags and sludges in the vicinity of plants generating such wastes and by-products. Production units for building materials and manufacture of cost-effective roofing sheets, panel boards and other building components based on local natural fibres, agricultural and forest residues as composite materials will be promoted. The building construction agencies both in public and private sector can effect savings in construction cost by utilising innovative technologies and materials, better design and construction management practices by bringing appropriate changes in specification and tender documents etc., and by enhancing supply and availability of high performance cost-effective/alternative materials, components and technologies. The advocacy will be extended to state construction agencies through the leverage of financial institutions and central ministries. |
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Fig.
1 The Tala Hydro-electric Project (1020 MW), Bhutan which is
being implemented as a part of bilateral trade agreement between
Government of India and Royal Government of Bhutan is another important
project being executed by HCC. The project is one amongst the largest
hydel power projects in the world. HCC’s scope of work here includes
the construction of a dam, desilting chamber and head race tunnel.
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“With over thousand bridges built across the length and breadth of the country, Gammon could be rightly be called the Bridge Builders of the Nation” — Abhijit Rajan, Managing |
Under the ongoing scheme of Building Centres operated by the Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment and HUDCO, over 250 centres are in operation with the objective of training artisans and petty contractors, and the promotion of cost efficient building materials and construction techniques. This is being further expanded to rural areas. The major public construction agencies are being persuaded to set up building centres and building components production units to meet their own specialised needs. During the 9th Plan, it is proposed to strengthen technology transfer capabilities of building centres both in urban and rural areas to meet the needs of training and building materials. Entrepreneurs for new building materials have considerable difficulty in getting access to approved technology, secure clearances, finance, marketing outlets, support from user agencies, fiscal concessions etc. The Council provides support services for assisting such entrepreneurs and units and evolve mechanisms for local approvals, appraisal and sanction of projects, financial assistance, import of essential equipment, inclusion in standards on the lines of the state industrial investment agencies. An integrated proposal for fiscal incentives for encouraging building materials production is submitted to the Finance Ministry from time to time to secure incentives for new building materials. |
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Simultaneously, action is taken to meet the anticipated shortfall in the availability of conventional materials like bricks, cement and steel by encouraging modernisation of existing units and upgradation of technologies, at entrepreneurial level. In particular, the modernisation of brick & tile industry is being taken up urgently efficient brick burning technologies, and utilisation of flyash to substitute for the top soil. |
The company mainly operates in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Delhi. |
Fig.
3 Innovation for value-addition: Unitech Prefab pioneered the
concept of ready- mix-concrete in India. BMTPC (Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council) endeavours to encourage the use of standardised components and prefabricated building systems incorporating locally produced materials. The Council has constant interaction with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to facilitate formulation of new standards for all the proven technologies and materials and encourage their inclusion in the schedules of specifications and rates of public construction agencies. Pending such action, a pre-standardisation certification system is proposed to be introduced for promoting technologies which are yet to be standardised but are being or are likely to be used in building construction projects.
Mumbai-based Posten Systems Pvt. Ltd., a young manufacturing
organisation established in 1999,
for offering Quality products in the field of Pre-stressing like Anchorages,
Sheathing and other Bridge Accessories like Bridge Bearings, Sheathing
machines boasts of more than 10000 Pre-stressing Anchorages supplied for
over 50 projects, which include projects outside India.
Posten has a team of Technical experts to offer on-site technical help for Pre-stressing work.
Our R&D team is developing products for the bridge industry like Incremental launching unit, Void forming machine, HDPE Sheathing, etc. The client list includes Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Delhi Metro Road Corporation (DMRC), Railways, Public Works Department (PWD), Municipal Corporation.
Delhi Metro zooms ahead
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Delhi citizens are stoically facing inconveniences due to diversion of traffic caused by construction activities related with th metro project as they know better days are going to come. Recent newspaper reports suggest that Shahdara–Tis Hazari section is scheduled to be commissioned by this yearend. Delhi Metro is going to be a world-class metro. To ensure reliability and full safety in train operations, it will be equipped with the most modern communication and train control system. It will have state–of –the-art air-conditioned coaches, equipped with 3-phase ac motors, chevron/air bag suspension system and automatic door closing mechanism. Travelling in Delhi Metro will be a pleasure with trains available to the public at three minutes frequency. |
Fig. 4 Stuff the dreams are made of: |
Entries and exits to metro will be controlled by ‘smart cards’. For convenience of commuters, adequate number of escalators will be installed at metro stations. Unique feature of Delhi Metro will be its integration with other modes of public transport, enabling the commuters to interchange from one mode to another. To increase ridership of Delhi Metro, feeder buses for metro stations are being planned. In short, Delhi metro will be trend setter for such system in other cities of the country.
Approved by Union Cabinet in September 1996 at a cost of Rs. 4,860 crores, the Delhi MRTS project is a big opportunity for construction firms. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2005 and taking into account the escalation in prices during this period, completion cost of the project is expected to be Rs. 8,155 crores.
Of this cost, 30% is to be borne by GOI and GNCTD equally in the form of Equity contribution in DMRC, about 56% is covered by a soft loan from Japanese Bank of International Corporation (JBIC) 8% (which represents the cost of land) is to be met through an interest free subordinate loan to DMRC by two Governments in equal proportion. The balance 6% of the cost is to be met by DMRC through property development.
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Phase I Network The originally approved scheme consisted of (1) Rail Corridor (a) Shahdara-Trinagar- Nangloi 25 km (Number of
stations 19) (2) Metro corridor Vishwa Vidyalaya - Central Secretariat 11km (Halts 10) Total: 55.3 km (Total Halts 45) Subzimandi–Holambi Kalan corridor was to run by the side of existing tracks of Northern Railway on which sub-urban Trains are already operating and would have duplicated an existing commuter travel facility. In view of this position government approved substitution of Subzimandi - Holambi Kalan corridor with Trinagar–Barwala Corridor (with 12 halts) which will serve developed areas like Rohini, Pitampura, Wazirpur Lawrence Road, etc. As Trinagar–Nangloi Corridor also runs along the existing railways tracks on which sub-urban Rail services are operating, a proposal to replace this corridor by Connaught Place- Dwarka Corridor is under consideration of the Government. The expected ridership in the year 2005 for phase network is 19.5 lakhs passengers trip per day. The project was to be implemented in a period of 10 years from 1.4.95 to 31.3.2005.However, already 3 years delay had taken place by the time DMRC started functioning. The implementation period was, therefore, re-scheduled to complete the whole project in 7 years to adhere to the original date of March 2005. |
In your perception, which is one of the best architectural master
pieces constructed in this millennium? Who according to you is the most innovative architect of our
times? Which two companies have contributed substantially to the growth
of the construction industry? Aspirations for the growth of the Sector? What support is required to give an impetus to the sector? How effective have been the impact of recent govt initiatives? |
— R
J Dadabhoy, All land required for Shahdara- Trinagar- Barwala Corridor, except a small plot of land under Mehta Building has been acquired. Civil Works on Shahdara –Tis Hazari (8.3km) section of Rail Corridor started on 1.10.98 and have so far achieved an Hazari to Trinagar and Trinagar to Rithala. Shahdara –Tis Hazari section is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2002. The remaining sections of the Rail Corridor will subsequently be commissioned, in stages, the last stages, the last stage being commissioned in 2005.
Contracts for civil works of metro corridor and major systems like signalling & Train Control, Power Supply and Electric Traction, Automatic Fare Collection System, etc.(both for Metro and Rail corridors) have been awarded 90% land required for Metro Corridor has been acquired. Identified utilities have also been diverted.
Metro corridor will be commissioned in two stages; first stage from Vishwa Vidyalaya to ISBT (4km) by June 2004 and second stage from ISBT to Central Secretariat (7 km) by March, 2005.
Total expenditure incurred on the project till 31.7.2001 is Rs. 1006.4 crores.
Bandra-Worli Sealink: HCC’s ambition, Tourist’s delight
Hindustan Construction Company, the 75-year old construction giant is charged with the responsibility of building package IV of the Cable Stayed Bridge, which involves Construction of 8 lane 3926 m long link bridge in open sea between Worli Sea Face and Bandra Fort near Sea Rock Hotel. Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation is the client for this project.
Apart from being one among the first such projects to be built in India, the project also entails use of modern technologies like precast segmental construction which enable faster work progress for the approach portion. The cable stayed portion here is 600 m long.
The Bandra - Worli Sealink project is expected to play a key role in reducing traveling time between the northern and southern parts of Mumbai. At present the traffic carrying capacity of the existing roads are highly inadequate resulting in unending traffic jams and long traveling hours. The elegant appearance of this structure will make it immensely attractive for tourism purposes.
This link bridge is divided into the following five important parts:
—Part 1 : 850 m long Bandra Approach Bridge of 50 m spans with precast segmental construction
—Part 2 : 600 m long cable stayed portion consisting of 2 nos 250 m cables supported main spans flanked by 50 m conventional approach spans and 158 m high central tower.
—Part 3 : 1750 m long Worli side central Approach bridge with precast segmental construction
—Part 4 : 500 m long Worli end approach bridge with precast segmental construction
—Part 5 : 226 m link cast-in-situ bridge to KAGK road and turnouts.
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Road and Road Transport National Highways are the prime arterial routes spanning about 49,600 km throughout the country and cater to about 40 per cent of the total road transport demand. In the road sector the provisions relating to foreign investment have been further liberalised. Automatic approval will be accorded for foreign equity participation upto 100 per cent in the construction of roads and bridges, provided the total foreign equity in any such project does not exceed Rs 1500 crore. The initial response of the private sector has been satisfactory and as many as 17 projects, involving a sum of Rs 835.5 crore are in various stages of implementation. |
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Fig.
5 Hindustan Construction Company completed this Pune-Mumbai
expressway as part of the new policy for private sector participation
in road construction. HCC is also Four-Laning 28 km of Satara-Kolhapur
Highway, a part of the Golden Quadrilateral project being implemented
by NHAI.Private Sector Participation
There is an urgent need to upgrade the road system in the country by widening and strengthening existing highways, reconstruction/widening bridges, and constructing expressways on a selective basis. While the Government is providing increasing budgetary allocation for projects in the highways sector and has undertaken major upgradation initiatives in high density corridors, it has not been possible to allocate sufficient funds matching the needs due to competing demand from other sectors, especially the social sectors. The present level of budget need for National Highways during 9th Five Year Plan is about Rs 23000 crore. Besides, deficiencies of the order of Rs 83,000 crore have to be removed in course of time. The removal of financial bottlenecks need concerted efforts in the form of mobilisation of funds from other sources as well as to meet the enormous requirement. In-flow of private sector funds thus, is expected to bridge the demand-supply mismatch to some extent, but so far the private participation in the road development is marginal, but with more incentives and appropriate policies, this could be improved.
Scope Of Private Participation
Participation on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis is sought in projects of under mentioned categories:
Existing National Highway
Bridges
Railway Over Bridges
Elevated Section through Urban areas
Interchanges
Widening of Roads
New Alignments
Bypasses
Super National Highways (expressways)
Policy Initiatives to encourage private participation in the Road Sector have been taken. For example, the Road sector has been declared as an industry to facilitate commercial borrowings. Following tax and fiscal concessions are in force
* Tax Holiday for Five years and 30 per cent deduction in the tax over the subsequent 5 years may be availed of in any period within 20 years of the commissioning of the projects.
* Exemption of import duty on identified highway construction equipment.
* Incentives to financial institutions to provide long term finance fr highways through deduction upto 40 per cent of their taxable income from such investment.
Prominent recent jobs by Kolkata-headquartered Bridge & Roof company include:
* Construction of 7 bridges, Piling Work and other connected work in connection with Eklakhi-Balurghat new BG Line Project for N.F. Railway of Rs. 93 million is under execution
* Rebuilding of RCC Bridge over River Paglachandi in West Bengal for Eastern Railway of Rs. 46 million is under execution
* Construction of Flyover over NH-2 at Durgapur Steel Plant Main Gate Junction for NHAI of Rs. 36 Million is under execution
* Construction of Link Road at Rajarhat, Kolkata for WB Housing Construction Circle of RS.481 million is under execution
* Fabrication, Erection etc. of Steel Girders for 3 Bridges over River Jaldacca, Teesta & Diana for N. F. Rly. of Rs. 123 million is under execution
* Construction of RCC Chimney and Allied Works for GNFC at Bharuch of Rs. 25 million is under execution
* Stone Column by Vibro-flotation method with Band Drains for Tank Foundation of IOCL/HBCPL at Haldia of Rs. 116 million is under execution
* Construction of Pile foundation and Sub-structure in connection with Extension of Metro Railway from Tollygunge to Garia for Metro Railway of Rs. 45 million is under execution
* Construction of 4 Major Bridges on Tamluk-Digha New BG Link in WB for S. E. Rly. of Rs. 92 million during 2000-2001.
* RCC Bridge Work in Strengthening and Widening of NH-9 over 48 Km for NHAI in Andra Pradesh of Rs. 37 million during 1996-2000.
* Strengthening and widening of NH-9 over 48 Km in Nandigama - Vijayawada Section including RCC Bridges for NHAI in Andhra Pradesh of Rs. 747 million during 1996-2000.
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Table 3 BOT Projects Awarded
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| Project Name | NH No. | State | Cost in Crores of Rs. | Date of completion |
| Thane-Bhiwandi Bypass | 3 & 4 | Maharashtra | 103 | 31/12/2001 |
| Chaltan Road over Bridge | 8 | Gujarat | 10 | |
| Udaipur Bypass | 8 | Rajasthan | 24 | |
| Construction of Six Bridges | 5 | Andhra Pradesh | 50 | 08/06/2001 |
| Coimbatore Bypass | 47 | Tamil Nadu | 90 | 03/12/1999 |
| Durg Bypass | 6 | Madhya Pradesh | 68 | 05/05/2000 |
| Narmada Bridge | 8 | Gujarat | 113 | 21/12/2000 |
| Nardhana ROB | 3 | Maharashtra | 34.21 | |
| Patelganga Bridge & ROB | 17 | Maharashtra | 33.3 | |
| Hubli-Dharwar Bypass | 4 | Karnataka | 68 | 05/11/2001 |
| Nellor Bypass | 5 | Andhra Pradesh | 73 | Oct., 2000 |
| Koratalaiyar Bridge | 5 | Tamil Nadu | 30 | Nov., 2000 |
| Kambatki Ghat Tunnel & Road | 4 | Maharashtra | 37.8 | Nov., 1999 |
| Nasirabad ROB | 6 | Maharashtra | 10.45 | May, 2001 |
| Wainganga Bridge | 6 | Maharashtra | 32.6 | July, 2000 |
| Mahi Bridge | 8 | Gujarat | 42 | 25/04/2000 |
| ROB at Kishangarh Bypass | 8 | Rajasthan | 16.66 | 31/12/2009 |
| Bridge Across River Watrak | 8 | Gujarat | 48.2 | |
| Moradabad Bypass | 24 | Uttar Pradesh | 100 | |
| ROB at Dera Bassi | 22 | Punjab | 36.11 | |
Larsen & Toubro: ahead of schedule
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Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) has completed, ahead of schedule, a Rs.93-crore order to build a 7-km long coal handling plant for the Simhadri Thermal Power Plant of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The plant was inaugurated by Union Minister Suresh Prabhu on February 22, 2002, in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The 500 MW Si6mhadri power plant, near Simhachalam temple in Vishakhapatnam, is the first coastal coal-fired thermal power plant of NTPC. The power generated by the plant will be exclusively for use within Andhra Pradesh. |
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Fig.
6 Induced draught Cooling Towers for Reactor Units at Rajasthan
Atomic Power Project for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd,
built by Gammon India.L&T’s ECC division built the coal handling system on a turnkey basis. It receives, sizes and conveys coal at the rate of 1,600 tonnes per hour to the coal mill bunkers. The EPC contract included procurement and supply, civil and structural work, erection and commissioning.
L&T has played a major role in the commissioning of India’s largestcoal-handling terminal at Paradip Port. The Mechanized Coal Handling Plant(CHP) was dedicated to the nation November LAST YEAR by VedprakashGoyal, Union Minister of Shipping, along with Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Orissa, and Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, Union Minister of Statefor Shipping.
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This ADB financed Coal Port Project was designed by BHPE Kinhill JV, Australia. It enables cost-effective and efficient transportation of coal from the mines of Orissa’s hinterland to the thermal power stations of South India, where, a new port with coal unloading facilities has been set up at Ennore, Chennai. ECC, the Construction Division of L&T, brought its state-of-the-art project handling capabilities to bear on the detailed designing and engineering of the project as well as execution of the civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation work. |
Fig.
7 Leader’s vision: Futuristic design under implementation by
Larsen & Toubro Ltd. for the international airport at Bangalore.Together with erection, testing and commissioning of this hi-profile computer logic simulated 9km long CHP, the scope included manufacture and supply of vital components for the conveyor system as well as bulk material handling equipment like stackers and reclaimers. The CHP will handle 20 million tonnes of coal per annum at an operational capacity of 4000tph.
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In February 2002, the coal conveying stream leading to Unit 1 of the 500 MW Super Thermal Power Station at NTPC-Simhadri in Andhra Pradesh was commissioned and the unit synchronized. ECC’s contribution to this green field project is construction of a 7km-long coal handling plant on turnkey basis, for receiving, sizing and conveying coal at the rate of 1600 tons per hour to the coal mill bunkers. This Rs.93crores EPC contract called for procurement and supply, civil and structural work, erection and commissioning of equipment and facilities. |
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Fig.
8 Another feather in L&T’s cap: India’s largest coal-handling
terminal at Paradip Port, Orissa.|
Table 4 Major recent projects by ECC Division of L&T |
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| Project | Value | Completion date |
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Design and construction of Marthanda Varma Bridge in Cochin for the Government of Kerala |
Rs. 66 million |
March 2002 |
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Design and construction of bridges in Karnataka, for MECON Limited |
Rs. 320 million |
December 2001 |
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Execution of civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation
works for the 330 MW combined cycle power project at Pillai Perumal
Nallur in Tamil Nadu. |
Rs. 1845 million |
March 2001 |
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Captive power plant for Usha Beltron Limited at Gamaria near Jamshedpur, |
Rs. 900 million |
Completed |
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World’s longest LP Gas Pipeline for Gas Authority of India Limited of total length 1270 km. Out of this length, ECC was awarded the contract 756 km for laying pipeline between Jamnagar and Bhimasar, Bhimasar and Abu Road,and Jaipur to Loni. |
Rs. 1900 million |
May 2001 |
The highlights of the project executed by ECC include:
* 220m long Track Hopper
* 7 km long belt conveyor with overhead galleries and transfer points
* Crusher house with crushers and grizzly feeders (4 x 1000 tph)
* Two stackers-cum-reclaimers of 1600 tons per hour capacity
* Four paddle feeders of 1000 tph capacity.
The ECC Division of Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) received a Rs.84.53 crores Instrumentation Order.
With this, the total value of the projects under execution by ECC for the two 500 MWe units being set up by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) at Tarapur is Rs.912.53 crores.
Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), which offers a wide range of construction and earthmoving equipment, has added a new state-of-the-art hydraulic excavator, Model L&T-Komatsu PC71 to its product range. This hydraulic excavator comes with a host of powerful and convenient features that make it the most versatile machine in its class for a wide range of construction and earthmoving applications.
L&T Komatsu PC71 comes with a revolutionary system called HydrauMind. This is a technologically sophisticated yet mechanically simple system, which controls the operations of the excavator. Essentially hydraulic, this system brings higher power, better maneuverability and controllability to the operators’ fingertips. For example, when the ground condition changes in digging, HydrauMind automatically adjusts the hydraulic oil pressure to accommodate the change. All the components in the machine work in synergy with the optimum combination of speed and power.
L&T-Komatsu PC71 hydraulic excavator is manufactured in Bangalore by L&T-Komatsu Limited-L&T’s joint venture with Komatsu Asia & Pacific Pte Ltd. This manufacturing facility in Bangalore has ISO 9001 accreditation for design, manufacture and service, and ISO 14001 certification for Environment Management System
Leveraging IT for construction industry…. L&T style
Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), India’s $2 billion engineering and construction giant has selected CA’s Unicenter family of eBusiness infrastructure management solutions to optimize the performance and availability of its geographically distributed network environment while minimizing its technology ownership costs.
"Providing around-the-clock service across 250 locations was becoming a very difficult and expensive proposition for L&T Infotech," said J.T. Hingorani, executive vice president, L&T Infotech. "By leveraging the flexibility of Unicenter, we are able to ease the strain on our IT staff while increasing service levels and the overall health of our increasingly complex network. The ability to free IT personnel to focus on fulfilling other corporate objectives is particularly important at a time when demand outpaces the supply of skilled IT professionals."
Unicenter will enable Larsen & Toubro to effectively and efficiently manage L&T GlobalNet – one of India’s largest private networks. Linking 10,000 desktop PCs and over 500 servers across 250 locations, L&T GlobalNet supports a wide range of mission-critical applications and business processes for the multinational firm.
The deployment of Unicenter, which will enable the monitoring and control of the entire L&T GlobalNet environment from a central Network Operations Center (NOC) in Mumbai, is being carried out by L&T Infotech, L&T’s IT subsidiary.
As result of this deployment, L&T Infotech will proactively eliminate the types of problems that typically lead to performance degradation or intermittent failures in such large, complex networks. The team is also leveraging Unicenter Service Level Management to ensure compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between itself and the L&T parent, as well as with an expanding base of external L&T GlobalNet customers.
"The ability of Unicenter to support our breadth of platforms and protocols – as well as to monitor and enforce compliance with Service Level Agreements – makes it an extremely powerful business enabler," said VK Magapu, CEO, L&T Infotech and CIO, L&T. "With this rock-solid technology management foundation and growing partnership with CA India, L&T can confidently pursue the expansion of its business, knowing that its information infrastructure can scale as required to reliably and efficiently support its future growth. Furthermore, CA and L&T Infotech have decided to explore other areas of joint interest including deployment and extension of Unicenter for IT and non-IT environments such as building management systems, etc."
"L&T provides a terrific example of how Unicenter can boost service levels while driving down risk and cost," said Rajiv Singh, managing director, CA India and SAARC region."
Tata Housing: an innovation giant
Mumbai-based Tata Housing has several innovations up its sleeves. Its dream project Technopolis KnowledgePark is conceived as the workplace of the future for the growing new breed of corporates who harbour an undying passion for work. An office that is designed with the future in mind, equipped with all the facilities and resources that would make a difference in the present fast paced corporate environment.
Situated at Andheri (E), the fastest growing business center in Mumbai, Technopolis KnowledgePark is easily accessible and close to the airport. The Western Express Highway, which is a stone’s throw away, allows for fast and easy access to all parts of the city, hotels, clubs, a golf course and premium housing & shopping centers.
With office areas ranging from 3,000 to 42,000 sq.ft. on single floors, Technopolis Knowledge Park has a number of features designed to combine comfort with aesthetics, Wide span column design, 13 feet floor to-ceiling height, Central air-conditioning Noise and heat resistant structural glazing, High intensity of natural lighting in central atriums, Offices with landscaped gardens on select floors Underfloor trunking for flexibility of locating workstations.
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One of the most striking features of Technopolis is the concept of an Intelligent Building. The Honeywell Building Automation System controls and monitors the Centralised air conditioning, smoke & fire detection alarm systems. Latest state of the art telephone exchange located in the premises and connected to the Marol Telephone Exchange over fibre Optic Cable for the best & reliable quality of communication. Last mile problems taken care by pre-wiring each office with DOT approved, good quality telephone cables over structured cabling principle. Easy availability of direct Fibre optic connectivity to the exchange made possible with the presence of MTNL’s digital equipment within the premises. Office to Office high speed connectivity made possible with the existence of Switched gigabit Campus Network, with fibre optic cable riser and enhanced CAT5 horizontal cables to each office, from day one of occupation, enabling best and speedier data transfers for internal as well as external communication. Alternate service provider already present for choice of basic service provider. Technopolis Knowledge Park offers conveniences such as central air conditioning, bank with ATM, courier services, swimming pool, health club, restaurant and excellent support facilities that cater to every need of high caliber professionals. |
In your perception, which is one of the best architectural master
pieces constructed in this millennium? Who according to you is the most innovative architect of our
times? Which two companies have contributed substantially to the growth
of the construction industry? Aspirations for the growth of the Sector? What support is required to give an impetus to the sector?
How effective have been the impact of recent government initiatives?
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Priya
Ranjan Swarup,Nestling in the quiet confines of HAL Extension, Sherwood is the perfect blend of a quiet country lifestyle and the action of the city. As the name suggests it is a quintessential example of a small idyllic town with beautiful low-rise townhouses. It is conceived to be a mark of elegance and class reflected in the contemporary international design. Townhouses, with English architectural features, interspersed with spacious lawn create a perfect ambience of a trend setting locale.
Sherwood comprises 400 homes, put together in fourteen 3-storey townhouse blocks with a wide variety of spacious 2, 3 and 4-bedroom units to choose from. Exquisitely planned gardens give an intimate interaction with the green outdoors, yet achieving the desired privacy.
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Children can now play without being interrupted by blaring horns and vehicular traffic as your cars will be out of sight, nearly parked in spacious basement parking lot. Beautifully landscape pockets between blocks have pergola sit-outs where one can enjoy a friendly chat with neighbour. Resting on a sprawling expanse of over 30 acres, Green Acres is the largest housing development underway in Ernakulam. Right in the heart of the city, Green Acres is situated on the proposed Marine Drive Extension along the beautiful backwaters. |
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Fig.
9 Sherwood complex comprising of 4000 flats from Tata Housing
is the perfect blend of a quiet country lifestyle and the action
in India’s cyber city.|
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Green Acres have well planned clusters of townhouses in low rise buildings, tower houses in high rise buildings, villas and a commercial enclave with shopping, entertainment and offices. Of course, with lots of greenery and landscaping in each cluster to keep you close to nature. The townhouses have been designed in the true Kerala tradition with Mangalore tiled roofs and ethnic finishes. And, naturally, with the best fittings and amenities. |
Fig.
10 Life ho to aisee: Green surroundings smoothen the stressed
nerves when you come home from office in Ernakulam (Courtesy: Tata
Housing). Who constructed the Gateway of India?
If Amitabh had asked this question during KBC, answering this might have been quite tough. You can ask a counter-question: who built the modern-day architectural-wonder, the second-bridge on the river Hooghly? Or, who is credited to construct 1000+ bridges in India? To end the mystery, the reply is the same, namely — Gammon India!
Gammon India stands out as a gateway for technological excellence in civil engineering. Company’s excellent team of planners, designers and construction specialists put their expertise together striving for excellence and perfection, the company has many firsts to its credit.
The Jadukata Bridge in State of Meghalaya is the new Jewel of the Crown. The beautiful bridge has emerged to reality through thoughtful design and innovative construction techniques.
Construction of bridges has always been one of the most fascinating challenges to man’s ingenuity from time immemorial. And it is in the building of bridges that some of the most remarkable innovations, skill and insight, technological superiority and engineering genius of Gammon have come into play. With over thousand bridges built across the length and breadth of the country, Gammon could rightly be called the ‘Bridge Builders of the Nation’.
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From arch and bowstring girder bridges to balanced cantilever, pre-stressed concrete and latest cable-stayed bridges, Gammon’s capabilities cover the entire spectrum of technological advances in bridge engineering. Among the outstanding achievements of Gammon in bridge engineering are: The Lubha bridge built across a 30 m. deep gorge-the longest single span concrete bridge ever constructed in India; The Thane Creek Bridge for which the company won the IFAWPCA Gold Medal, awarded by International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Constructors’ Association; and the 5.5 km. long Mahatma Gandhi Setu (Ganga Bridge at Patna) the longest river bridge in the world. Gammon pioneered India’s entry into the era of cable-stayed bridge at second Hooghly Bridge and Akkar Bridge. |
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Fig.
11 Rs 58 crore contract to Gammon India for building J.J. Flyover
in Mumbai consists of a dual two lane viaduct from J J Hospital
to Palton Road. Deck is made up of a continuous spine element with
side cantilevers. Segments will be joined by using epoxy glue and
pre-stressing. The spine elements are to be match cast on the long
line method. All deck elements are precast at casting yard and erected
at site using launching truss.Besides designing and building bridges, Gammon has achieved perfection in the techniques of launching, underwater concreting development of supporting equipment like pneumatic caissons, winches, cables, grouting machinery etc., and building of enabling structures. Some of the bridges built by Gammon, way back in the 30’s have stood the test of time and even today are regarded as living testimonies to Gammon’s technological excellence.
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