In 2023, we are also eager to diversify in sectors such as mining and manufacturing in specifically agro-based industries

– JAGDISH KADAM

CMD, Raj Path Infracon

What were your key performance highlights during the past year?

This past year, 2022, was immensely successful and rewarding for our company, Raj Path Infracon Pvt. Ltd. We succeeded in achieving a major milestone by registering a new Guinness World Record by continuously laying a single lane bituminous concrete road of over 75 kms. Celebrating India’s 75th anniversary of independence we dedicated this achievement to our country.

This has boosted not just our confidence, but also our morale in more than one ways. We have realised our strengths and had a chance to review our weaknesses. We have imbibed lessons from the execution of the successful attempt, and plugged loopholes to make our systems and teamwork more efficient, refined and effective. We look at challenges and obstacles in a different way now, and nothing seems to be a road-block for our surge. 

What is your future outlook for your company for FY23? 

It is easy to get to the top, staying there and maintaining that position is the real challenge! With two consecutive years of making world records, the pressure is immense for obvious reasons. We seem to be under the lens of not just our well-wishers and supporters, but critics and competitors as well. But we have no plans to record any hatrick, unless the opportunity presents itself. We feel after coming out successfully, hale and hearty out of the COVID setback, and making a new world record, we would be treating the forthcoming year as a year of consolidation.

In 2023, we are eager to continue building on our achievements and successes in not only the infrastructure development sector but will also aim to diversify into other fields. In this coming year, we will harness our expertise and rigorously work in several infrastructure development projects like state highways, national highways, irrigation projects, water supply, railway and airport projects. We are also looking forward to successfully completing our current projects in time. We have a focused intention to apply our innovative ideas and state-of-the-art technology to develop advanced and creative solutions and techniques in infrastructure development.

In 2023, we are also eager to diversify in sectors such as mining and manufacturing in specifically agro-based industries. I sincerely believe that the efforts of state governments will bring in several MNCs and private players into manufacturing, making India the manufacturing hub of the world. 

What do you think would be the contribution of private players in road infrastructure building?

The government has developed and is coming up with encouraging new programs such as the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti initiative.  This has built the perfect setting for private players to come forth proactively and contribute to infrastructure development. Such initiatives make the infrastructure sector in 2023 to be very promising.

Through models such as public private partnerships, the government can make greater investments in building the road-map of our country. Private companies like Raj Path Infracon Pvt. Ltd., can get opportunities to make game-changing contributions by increasing the speed and efficiency of construction and development of high-quality infrastructure projects. Looking at the future, I am certain that such synergistic partnerships, India will see no hindrances in becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2026.

Give us an insight on how technology has formed the backbone of the company’s excellence in project delivery.

If exemplary work has to be delivered in today’s era, it has to be technology based to escalate efficiency, minimise manual errors, monitor progress, and source data for analysis and better work performance.

Digitization is hence an integral part of our working. Besides integration of all our processes and systems in ERP since 2012. Hence, decision making has always been based on facts and figures, data and analytics rather than individual psycho fancies!

We have also developed customised software solutions – we call it ‘Jawli Sutra’- that monitors our critical path (analysis) for all Projects.  We deliberate and freeze tasks which hold the power to delay the project and must be completed on time before starting the other dependent tasks. The logic of our inputs and outputs revolve around this and the resultant is a completely customized solution that provides real-time data which various departments can then use for further quick and precise decisions. This assists us impactfully to ensure there are no short-falls, we can adapt quickly to contingencies and keep-up with project deliveries. Besides this, there is also constant backend study, analysis and research and experimentation carried out by our engineers on the latest technologies that various equipment and machinery OEMs provide us, yield results that are eye openers.

What are your initiatives for safety, training & skilling of your workforce?

Safety is a serious subject at Raj Path Infracon. It is always a challenge to be adamant about Safety protocols in the infra sector probably because the ground level workforce has very low levels of awareness of its importance. However, our accent on all site activities is emphatically endorsed through may actions. Along with usage of standard PPEs that are used like second skin, Safety tools and tackles are readily available at Camp-sites, and the designated Safety officer conducts regular audits to ensure that personnel are trained for its appropriate use. Select individuals are trained in first-aid too.

Our customised training sessions ensure seamless delivery of excellence through continual reskilling. It also promotes cross learning to improve team resonance and effectiveness in the ultimate deliverables.

What are the challenges India face in road infrastructure building? How those challenges could be addressed?

In India some of the major challenges that we face for infrastructure development are land acquisitions, environment clearances, and illegal encroachments especially in urban areas. There are also some problems in utility shifting in electrical lines, water supply lines, gas pipelines etc. Another major hurdle comes from the forest department due to the delay in clearances that negatively affects the speed in road construction. Earlier there were also several challenges in getting projects financed from banks and other financial institutions. However, in recent times, these institutions have changed their outlook on infrastructure development and now financially support good infrastructure companies with their projects.

The Government of India has been actively trying to address these challenges. The Hon’ble Prime Minister, through the PMO, and the Hon’ble Minister of Roads and Transport have set up single clearance windows that align 16 ministries that are in-charge of monitoring these compliances and sanctions. By developing this single clearance model, the direct result is that infrastructure projects can now get clearances through all of these ministries in a more efficient and streamlined way.

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