Winning L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award is high praise and recognition for a project team’s efficiency, and after the 700 MW Ar Rass-1 Solar Plant project has won this award, Team Lead Avishek Kumar is not only feeling on top of the world, but is charged to work the same magic at his present assignment, the Ar Rass-2 Solar Plant project.
To reduce downtime and improve overall efficiency of his project, Avishek implemented a streamlined resource allocation plan to ensure optimal utilization of manpower, machinery, and materials. “We proactively resolved bottlenecks by conducting regular coordination meetings between cross-functional teams, enabling us to make quicker decisions for smoother execution,” he nods with satisfaction.
During Power Substation (PSS) execution, strict quality checks and safety protocols ensured compliance with standards, minimized rework, and saved time & costs. “After identifying critical paths in the interface works, we restructured timelines to prioritize high-impact tasks,” he shares, “which mitigated delays and ensured timely completion of interconnected activities.”
“The appreciation from both my seniors and team members for my contribution has really motivated me to raise the bar even higher,” he says with resolve, which stood him in good stead when faced with challenges. “I always prioritize critical tasks and reallocate resources to complete high-priority activities on time and develop a clear escalation matrix to resolve conflicts quickly,” he shares his work methodology, further mentioning that root-cause analyses and collaboration with technical experts are equally important to evolve practical solutions. Pre-emptive quality checks minimized rework, while implementing a focused task management system by breaking larger goals into manageable milestones helped Avishek and team to adjust project schedules to account for weather-related delays, prioritizing indoor and preparatory work during such periods.
Having had the privilege of earlier working at Saudi Arabia’s largest-capacity solar plant in Sudair, Avishek has only good things to say about L&T, and what impresses him most is the Company’s commitment to excellence and innovation in delivering world-class projects. “The organization’s emphasis on quality, safety, and sustainability inspires me to contribute to impactful initiatives that shape a better future,” he says with a glint in his eyes.
S Suresh is keen to make it a lovely habit of delivering his projects on time. After completing the 300 MW Jeddah Solar Plant project, he moved to the 700 MW Ar Rass-1 Solar Plant project that has won L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award 2024 and is now seeking to repeat the same feat at his present assignment at the 1.5 GWp Al Kahfah Solar PV project.
The ploy of the Ar Rass-1 Solar project team to form separate teams for the Pooling Substation (PSS) and Photovoltaic (PV) works went a long way in ensuring timely delivery of their respective scopes. “Since we had split the two portions into different teams, it was easier to monitor progress and both teams were given full responsibility for their scope, that majorly eased the process of testing and commissioning,” he says with a broad smile of achievement.
Initially, the team encountered issues regarding the availability of material. “Additional modifications in the scheme drawings changed the design of the plant, leaving us short of material,” he moans, with a shake of his head. “But we managed the situation by purchasing the required material locally, to keep progress on track.”
Having served at multiple solar projects, Suresh has seen his fair share of challenges that are inherent to the business. How does he ensure timely delivery? “Resource management is crucial in any solar project, and it is always on top of my mind,” he elaborates. “You need to make sure that the right engineers are performing the right job. That was the thought behind my forming separate teams for the PSS and PV works!” he adds with a knowing grin.
Hailing from Tindivanam, Tamil Nadu, Suresh’s better half is Sankari Devi, a homemaker. They are blessed with two sons, Dhaakshan and Dhaakshit. Suresh enjoys listening to music and watching movies, though he adds that his projects are his priority currently. His wedding day is his life’s most unforgettable moment.
Proud to be an L&T-ite and to be part of the newly formed Renewables IC, he says, “It gives me immense pleasure knowing that I am contributing to projects that will help support a greener, more sustainable Planet Earth!” signing off with a thumbs-up.
“A professional organization, freedom at work sites, reasonable facilities for accommodation, recognizing the performers” – are the most admirable qualities of L&T for Pon Pragadesh Raj Ponrajapandi, who at his first project at the Ar Rass-1 Solar Plant oversaw ramming and installing trackers, modules, & ARCS. “I handled the 150+ strong in-house manpower and trained them on mechanical installation works,” he states, with an air of accomplishment. “Moreover, my seniors helped me immensely by arranging in-house and external training to hone my skills.” Fresh with his learnings, he is now stationed at the 1.5 GWp Al Kahfah Solar PV Project as Section In-charge.
During execution, Pon Pragadesh and team used laser instruments to avoid level issues on the top of tracker posts. “We introduced and implemented the pre-assembly of tracker & ARCS components at a designated yard to minimize rework for quicker installation,” he shares.
When the project team encountered hard strata while ramming posts beyond a depth of 1 m, Pon Pragadesh’s team pre-drilled and rammed the steel posts, which minimized damages and reduced the use of concrete for casting. “This is an alternative when ramming or pre-drilling + ramming fails,” he points out, adding that they introduced posts-cutting when the rammed posts reached a certain embedment depth yet failed to achieve the desired depth or elevation.
While his seniors supported him in arranging the required resources and coordinating with the project company for resolving disputes, Pon Pragadesh’s proactiveness and resourcefulness are evident in the fact that he learnt Hindi and Arabic to converse with the workers. “Ours was a multi-ethnic workforce, and I had to somehow break the language barrier!” he chuckles.
“I believe that the ‘secret’ recipe for timely delivery of projects is ensuring that the KPIs of every activity are clearly defined,” Pon Pragadesh notes wisely. On the digital front, he mentions SHEILD for reporting safety observations and the QIR App for QC observations and closures.
Hailing from Kannirajapuram in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, Pon Pragadesh is newly married to Krishna Swetha, an MBA degree holder and currently a homemaker. His hobbies are watching movies and listening to music. When asked about his most memorable moment, he smiles and says, “It’s when I got selected in L&T at KSA in 2022!”
“My aim is to always complete my tasks given to me by my seniors to the best of my ability in time and if we are all able to complete our tasks in time, then, we, as a team, will be able to deliver every project we execute in time,” says Amrit Lal, and his simple logic is undeniable.
As a Chargehand with L&T from 2013, Amrit has had several opportunities to complete and deliver his projects in time, both in India and overseas, starting with the 220/765 kV switchyard project at Lalitput, Uttar Pradesh, describing every project he has completed in time as some of his life’s most memorable moments.
Other projects he has been involved with include the ODSSP Phase-2, Package 3, 33/11 kV substation in Bhadrak, the 33/11 kV DDUGJY Deoghar substation project, the 33/11 kV substation and the tunnel project (Package 4, T1 & T2) for KRCL, both in Jammu.
In Saudi Arabia, Amrit has been associated with Rass-01 (700 MW), Rass-02 (2,000 MW), Rass-03 (1,500 MW), and the NEOM Battery Energy Storage System Project. “I am extremely happy that due to our team efforts, our 700 MW Solar PV IPP Single-Axis Tracker Plant project has won L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award 2024,” he says, smiling broadly.
About projects in India, Amrit mentions about many local issues they face during execution. “By being part of a project team, we are able to resolve all issues and ensure that work progresses without delay,” he says encouragingly. Of course, technology has been helping people like Amrit to improve operational efficiency and keep project timelines on track, with digital tools like DGPS, TS, Auto level, and Elcometer.
“I always insist that all the workers wear mandatory PPE and before the start of work PTW be available at all work locations,” he stresses. “Safety is always my top priority at site, and I ensure that all the work is done as per the approved drawings and SFQPs. With best advice and work plans from my seniors, I complete my projects as scheduled,” he says with a reassuring nod.
A native of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, Amrit’s life partner is Sarita Maurya, a homemaker, and they are blessed with two children, son, Aashit and daughter, Arpita. When not spending quality time with his family, he enjoys playing various sports over weekends.