Transformational Projects Complex, Challenging, Rewarding

Megaprojects are defined as “temporary endeavours characterized by large investment commitment, vast complexity and long-lasting impact on the economy, the environment, and society”. Well, here are two top-tier Indian construction companies that thrive on addressing challenges head-on with grit, innovation and know-how. Atul Joshi, Vice President – Structures, Dilip Buildcon and R Anantakumar, Director and BU Head – Surface Transport, Afcons Infrastructure share insights on transformational infrastructure projects they have implemented or are in the process of doing so.

We have a globally unique project contract from the Goa government to construct two 125-metre-tall towers on the bridge across the Zuari river. They will be used for commercial activities. There will be a hotel and restaurant on top with a viewing gallery and from that height you can have a panoramic view of the sea, the river and the whole of Goa; altogether a unique experience.

– Atul Joshi

Highway construction is far easier than the construction of bridges, according to Atul Joshi. Since the last seven years many complex bridges like cable-stayed and extra-dosed are coming up and Dilip Buildcon is one of the
leading companies in India with expertise in the construction of these types of bridges.

 

Elaborating on the challenges faced during design and construction, Joshi gave the example of the New Zuari cable-
stayed bridge in Goa. The bridge is built using steel pylons 125 metres (410 ft) high. With a total length of 640 metres (2,100 ft), it is the second longest cable-stayed bridge in India. The total width of the bridge is 27 metres (89 ft),
with 4 lanes in each direction. The deck over the main span is 360 metres (1,180 ft) long. The two side spans are supported by parallel wire cables and are 140 metres (460 ft) long. “A state-of-the-art bridge, it was, at the time of construction, the second largest and even now, the widest bridge in the country. Indian designers at that time did not have much expertise so  we engaged a designer from France and a proof consultant from China.” The first phase of the bridge became functional in December 2022 and the secondsouthbound bridge was opened a year later.

Another complex construction by Dilip Buildcon was of the extra-dosed Major Bridge across Sharavathi Backwaters and approaches between Ambargodu and Kalasavalli of NH 369 E in the state of Karnataka on EPC Mode.
“The total length of the bridge is 2 kms. That is in the backwaters of Sharavathi, Karnataka. The last cable has been lifted and we hope that the bridge will be commissioned within three months. Sharavathi is a backwater and the water depth goes up to 35 metres so of course it was quite challenging.”

The new bridge on River Ganga connecting Sahibganj in Jharkhand with Manihari in Bihar is expected to reduce
travel distance to just 1/10th of the present one. It is part of the project to build a 21.68 km new link NH-133B between Jharkhand and Bihar and the complete project involves the Ganga Bridge, construction of the Manihari bypass and widening of NH-131A. Upon its completion, this new highway link will serve as a strategic connecting point to North-Eastern India and reduce traffic congestion at Vikram Shila Setu bridge in Bhagalpur.

“This is very much necessitated for the locals. The bridge has a total elevated length of 8 kms of which 6 kms is the extra- dosed. It is a long, wide bridge and construction is on. The main challenge is the Ganga River which is flooded for almost five months a year and the entire area submerged, leaving us only seven months for work. We faced a number of challenges there because of the flood. In fact, two of our foundations were washed away and had to be completely rebuilt”, said Joshi.

Venerable Afcons, the infrastructure and construction company with a legacy of over six decades in executing complex, challenging and unique EPC projects has emerged as a key player in road construction, with a portfolio of over 5,100 km of lane roads successfully delivered across India and beyond. The company has earned a reputation
for executing projects with speed and efficiency, positioning itself as a strong contender in major road and highway infrastructure projects.

The Jammu-Udhampur Highway Project holds the distinction of being the fastest hill-road project completion in the history of NHAI. Similarly, the work on the Agra- Lucknow Expressway, where Afcons completed PKG-2 and PKG-4 ahead of schedule, further solidified its position in India’s road infrastructure sector.

Afcons played a pivotal role in the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg Project, successfully completing PKG-2 and PKG-14 ahead of schedule. While PKG-2 is the most structure-intensive package, with over 200 structures, PKG-14 features India’s widest (17.61 metres) and Maharashtra’s longest (7.7 km) twin road tunnels. Both packages were delivered ahead of schedule, demonstrating the company’s ability to deliver large, complex projects with efficiency and precision, according to the company.

On the international front, the Lusaka City Decongestion Road Project in Zambia, the first of its kind in Africa, involved the construction of 95 km of roads, including Zambia’s first flyover, and has improved urban mobility in the capital city. In Kuwait, Afcons delivered the South Surra Road Project, the country’s largest urban development project, while in Gabon, the company completed a six km bypass road for the New Libreville International Airport,
underscoring its global expertise. Other notable projects as per Afcons include the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, which provided connectivity to the world’s largest racecourse, the Jewel of Creek development in Dubai, and the Mina Salman Interchange in Bahrain.

We are actively focused on capturing large-value expressway project opportunities in existing markets while enhancing our footprint in emerging markets such as Africa and Eastern Europe. With our proven track record of delivering large-scale projects, Afcons is well-positioned to capitalise on new opportunities and expand its global footprint.

– R Anantakumar

The company is working on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link Project, a vital development project aimed at improving connectivity between two of the state’s most important cities by bypassing the Khandala Ghat
section and reducing the distance of the expressway by over six kilometres. In the Maldives, as part of the Addu City Roads Project, Afcons is constructing 110 km of road works and comprehensive drainage systems. The company shared that it is also working on projects in Gabon, Bangladesh and Mozambique. Innovations and sustainability
are necessary for infrastructure improvement. “Earlier, the general practice was stone pitching for slope protection”,
explained Joshi. “For stones pitching you need to buy a quarry and extract the stone by blasting. It only generates very high carbon footprints. We got a vendor from Bangalore and he suggested we use a biodegradable mat that
was laid on the slopes on which sheets were spread and tufting done. That was more effective and environment friendly. It was something we started about 10 years ago.”

Companies agree that the central budget for infrastructure is healthy. Most of the highway projects are on hybrid model and because of fierce competition, EPC contracts are hard to come by. The biggest challenges continue to be land acquisition and labour shortage, given that multiple mega projects are being implemented simultaneously
across the country. The result of overcoming these challenges and complexities however is sweet, with the reward being the satisfaction of a job well done.