We have been constructing subsurface infrastructure valuing close to about INR 1 lakh crores each year for the last 20-25 years.

– Dr. Niranjan Swarup

Director General, Indian Society for Trenchless Technology (IndSTT)

How do you look at India as a potential market for trenchless technologies?

India presents extremely high potentials for Global Trenchless Technology Industry. With one sixth of the humanity living here and infrastructure getting developed at a fast pace, we have no choice but to adopt Trenchless in a major way.

To elaborate, I would like to highlight as follows:

Some aspects of huge market potential emerge from ongoing projects like major City Gas Development woks, Smart City Construction works, Cross country pipelines for oil & gas transmission, Metro Construction works, upcoming roll out of 5G services amongst many. Added to that, shifting of overhead / above ground utilities to free up engaged open spaces and rehabilitation and replacement of existing buried infrastructure that is aging rapidly and demanding immediate intervention. Existing as well as under construction highways and other physical infrastructure also require substantial trenchless inputs.

In addition to newer developments and maintenance of existing buried infrastructure another major issue facing the nation is the Urban Flooding. For last so many years, we are witnessing this occurring with growing severity. Such urban flooding is the direct derivative of urban lifestyle of unplanned solid waste management activities at one hand and spoils from conventional construction practices, both of which clog the natural drainage path of urban areas. This could be addressed by creating and maintaining buried infrastructure through Trenchless.

Having said that, one must also look at the impediments being faced by the industry that is stymying such potentials. Primary impediment being faced by the industry is due to the limited sensitization levels of stakeholders which include concerned utility owners, service providers, workers at the execution level. To begin with such limitations, constrain the budgeting process forcing the executing agencies to apply conventional and socially expensive working methodologies. For the uninitiated, in most of conventional projects social costs are being ignored. Net outcome later is the indirect costs borne by the third parties during the project execution phases. Wherever such costs are being considered, trenchless is being prioritized or the regulators are insisting to use trenchless. In my opinion, while planning buried utilities like pipe and cables, the utility owners must consider going for trenchless options in the first place. If found unsuitable, only then one must explore the conventional construction option.

How are trenchless methods of construction technologies evolving in India? Which segments drive the demand for trenchless equipment the most?

We have been constructing subsurface infrastructure valuing close to about INR 1 lakh crores each year for the last 20-25 years. All this built infrastructure is now needing rehabilitation and replacement services as the utility failures are growing fast. I would like to cite two examples here. First issue is the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) dogging the municipal bodies today. The investment in collecting, purifying, and then pumping the drinking water to consumers get wasted to a large extent due to the NRW. Moreover, the quantum of available water for consumption is also getting reduced at an alarming pace. It is imperative that NRW must be reduced as lowest as possible. Loss of this water and related costs is bleeding the municipal bodies. Second example is the pollution of ground due to failing buried drainage systems. Some of the major rivers today are facing such percolating sewage & sullage in a major way. Even our capital is facing this alarming situation.

Since such infrastructure, being based in densely populated urban areas, can only be serviced through Trenchless alone, the need of various rehabilitation as well as replacement technologies are growing fast. In addition, we are in advance stages in developing Smart Cities where the new installation works again need substantial inputs of New Installation techniques. If I may add few more sectors,

What are the skilling initiatives for trenchless technologies space?

Indian Society for Trenchless Technology (IndSTT) has been working extensively in skill development sector and has created several programs to skill engineers, operators, &managers. These programs are both stand alone, as well as University linked programs like diplomas and B.Voc. Degree Programs. In addition, to avoid accidental damages to buried utilities due to operator or equipment errors/malfunctions, IndSTT has embarked upon a major Skill Testing and Certification Initiative. It has already developed the minimum competency standards and published them. From the forthcoming NoDig India Conference and Displays 2022, scheduled on 8th April, 2022 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi this shall be launched on a pan India basis.

To facilitate this initiative IndSTT is establishing another working group titled Working Group for Mapping of Trenchless Competency Standards and Essential Operating Skills. Like the first working group, in this casealso the stakeholders are being invited to join the deliberations for implementation of the Minimum Competency Standards defined by the deliberations.

What are your after-sales initiatives offered by companies in the trenchless equipment space?

IndSTT primarily works in technology promotional segment. This includes developing guidelines, specifications, codes of practice, contract conditions, schedule of rates and other related materials. It also conducts training of professionals and engineers. When a new technology or equipment, with altered or additional features from the existing ones, is inducted in the market, we assist trenchless stakeholders in adopting those through enhancing the specifications, codes, or other relevant stipulations that could help in homogenizing the equipment, processes, and deliverables. For this homogeneity process we work closely with the technology developers/providers by conducting road shows, demonstrations, and presentations. If need is observed, we create working groups to evaluate the newer technology and stipulate the operating procedures.

How do you look at the challenges / future growth trend / road map of trenchless equipment industry in India?

Future challenges and growth trends for Trenchless equipment or technology depend on several factors. Few of the important ones include availability of works, applicability in Indian context, acceptance of technology, economics of the methods, both of individually, as well of competing techniques collectively, levels of sensitization, availability of service providers, adoptability, and likewise. We can treat these as challenges or develop solutions for them. Choice is ours. The roadmap also would depend on our approach. An institutional support to achieve this would be of an extreme help and here comes the role of IndSTT. Technology providers could work in cooperation with IndSTT to popularize their offerings. We have been working for more than two decades now and have assisted many trenchless technology developers in promoting their offerings in Indian markets. We would like to invite more stakeholders to follow the suit.

Hits: 1