Supratim Dutta’s journey with L&T turned in a new direction when he rejoined in 2018, at his first international project – the Dhaka Metro – and was immediately faced with fresh challenges of compliance and resource scarcity, quite unlike those he had faced at WET IC from 2013 to 2016, as a Cluster Accounts Manager in Hyderabad and Kolkata. “Taxation and statutory compliance can be daunting in a foreign market, yet we successfully secured a BDT 286 Crore income tax credit that was extremely beneficial for L&T,” he shares proudly. With robust internal control processes, Supratim and team have ensured a positive cash flow.

Transitioning vendors from cash-based transactions to cheque payments and to get them to comply with income tax and VAT registrations were tough tasks that required lots of persuasion and confidence-building. “We streamlined financial transactions and, at the same time, fostered a culture of compliance,” he highlights. He attributes sequential planning, meticulous execution and maintaining good customer relations the primary reasons for their timely project delivery.

Digital innovation took up slack when traditional methods lagged. “We faced challenges selling steel scrap due to local influences but by using an e-auctioneer from L&T India, we conducted an auction in Bangladesh, free from local issues and threats and in compliance with local laws,” he recounts.

Supratim is all praise for the way Project Director, Sunil Khattar, managed the client, JICA, and the consultant, adding that his colleagues, including Debakash Banerjee, the site team, and the BU Accounts team, were constantly encouraging and supportive.

What makes him proud to be a part of L&T? The sense of belonging and the impact of L&T’s work resonate deeply with Supratim, reflecting the pride and dedication of an L&T-ite. “What stands out for me is the connection people feel with L&T when I mention that I work here. It’s not just a job; it’s a bond with the community, shareholders, and the nation’s infrastructure,” he remarks vividly with a twinkle in his eyes.

Speaking about challenges, he feels that implementing the Radio LTE Antenna towers in Dhaka’s congested and crowded geography was particularly tough that also involved overcoming the resistance from various interfacing contractors; but the pandemic-induced disruptions were most trying. “It is only our where there is a will, there is a way attitude that won us the day,” he recalls, “strictly following the mandatory safety protocols and SOPs across every corner of the site and residential accommodations.”

Ashok’s better half is Rupali Sharma, born and brought up in Chandigarh, at present in Delhi, possessing a BA Honours and Diploma in Office Management, having worked previously in Mahindra and Mahindra but now a homemaker. Their family is complete with son, Shivom and daughter, Aditri, whose birth is one of his life’s happiest moments. “In my free time, I love watching movies, listening to music and sometimes playing outdoor games like badminton and cricket,” he laughs.

As Telecom Expert / System Integrator, Ashok has been involved with some iconic projects with L&T – WDFC’s CTP-14 & STP-17 before Dhaka Metro and presently he is already busy with his new assignment at the Jakarta Metro to create and develop inception reports, preliminary designs and key design deliverables, adding that he is impressed by L&T’s purpose-driven, principle-led and performance-focused approach.

Although it was his first project with L&T, Vijender Singh leveraged his extensive experience from managing large projects at other companies to contribute to his project, Dhaka Metro, earning L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award 2024.

“First, I ensure to have clear understanding of my vision regarding deliverables and potential risks that could impact timelines and planning. Then, with a well-defined scope in place, I plan while keeping a critical eye on areas that need to be controlled,” he explains, reflecting his straightforward and practical approach to work. His mantra: Plan. Execute. Monitor. Control.

Responsible for all interfacings, drawings, design, installations, testing & commissioning, Vijender emphasizes that assigning the right resources and continuously supporting them were crucial to the success of project delivery. “Regular follow-ups and progress meetings are necessary to address issues and challenges, and it is vital to take personal responsibility for controlling and monitoring key areas through direct engagement,” he notes.

Despite thorough preparation, there is always unpredictability in construction projects, and Vijender recalls certain instances that demanded swift corrective action: “In the middle of Phase 2, we discovered that the subcontractor lacked the resource capacity to manage all the stations simultaneously. After performing progress reviews and analysing the team strength, we stepped in with our own resources and more vendors to complete the work, closely monitoring the progress till delivery. If we hadn’t acted quickly …” he trails off, visibly reflecting on the critical moment.

Given the critical need to hand over the trains alongside the stations to begin operations, the team had to collaborate closely with other subsystem contractors, such as those handling signalling and rolling stock, to jointly test and ensure the trains were ready for services. “It would have been impossible to deliver without the support of my seniors and team members,” says Vijender with genuine feeling and gratitude. “Our successful project delivery was a team effort with everyone contributing their part,” he says, holding his hands together. “The support and expertise of my seniors, along with regular meetings, discussions, progress reviews, risk assessments, and on-the-spot decisions, were all crucial to success,” he says, adding proudly that they won appreciation at the Pi-Awards 2024 too.

LEARNING, GROWING, OVERCOMING
OBSTACLES WITH EVERY ROLE

Mayil Rajkumar

Construction Manager (Civil), Railways SBG

Mayil Rajkumar prides himself as ‘L&T-made’. “I started my career here, and L&T has given me the opportunity to learn from my mistakes, take on leadership roles, and develop professionally, something that not all companies offer,” he shares. That he has taken full advantage of the opportunities offered is reflected in Mayil having successfully commissioned four projects, each involving different roles and responsibilities. He is most enthusiastic about his evolving role at the Dhaka Metro Project, which has won L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award – 2024.

“Initially, I worked on the OCS pile foundation & structure erection and other civil construction activities,” he shares with josh, “but as the project progressed, I assumed the responsibility of coordinating interfaces between subsystem teams, engineers, the employer, and co-package contractors. Tracking works is my current focus.” Mayil attributes his success to exceptional teamwork, seamless coordination, and genuine leadership, all rooted in the four pillars of Trust, Freedom, Confidence, and Belief.

Having to erect OCS structures in the middle of Dhaka’s crowded, congested areas, with narrow approach roads with limited space to place cranes and proximity to high-voltage electrical transformers and power lines, was extremely challenging for the team. “Standing together, we overcame these hurdles and even set a record of the highest number of mast erections per day across the entire project,” he declares, breaking into a grin. In fact, in areas that could not be accessed by cranes and machinery, they devised a manual approach, carefully lifting heavy structures over the viaduct and erecting by manual derrick pole method. Sandy soil at the depot location along with a high groundwater level had rendered piling for the OCS structures particularly difficult. When the initial piling failed, the team developed new methodologies. “We used a temporary steel liner that could be reused, and another method involved casting half the pile immediately to stop the soil from collapsing and incorporating bolt templates into the second lap of the casting.” Mayil’s thumbs-up says it all!

A DET from the 2009 batch, Mayil is grateful for his team’s unwavering support and autonomy to perform, and is especially thankful to Project Manager, Debakash Banerjee, Shamim Ahmed Khan, DGM – OCS Expert & Sunil Khattar, VP & Head – Metro BU, for their invaluable guidance and contribution to his growth.

Hailing from Chellampatti village near Rajapalayam, Tamil Nadu, Mayil is married to Sindhuja, who holds a BE in Civil Engineering with 6 years of experience in design work in Chennai. Currently she is a homemaker in Dhaka, looking after their two daughters, Sai Natchathira and Viveka. Passionate about athletics, Mayil has completed 2 international full marathons, 25 half marathons, and several 10 km official races.

His responsibilities at the Dhaka Metro project involved comprehensive planning and coordination of various aspects, including timelines, resources, risk management, and stakeholder coordination, demanding a keen understanding of both technical and logistical challenges. “The complexity of working on such an integrated metro system, where numerous stakeholders and multiple disciplines intersect, allowed me to leverage my problem-solving and leadership skills.”

As the project planner, Kollu had to manage tight deadlines, balance resources and handle external dependencies, ensuring that all tasks remained aligned with the overall schedule. “I implemented a dynamic scheduling system that included buffer zones to account for potential delays, allowing me flexibility, and by working closely with the team ensured that resource allocation was continually optimized,” he points out. While regular status meetings helped track & adjust project progress in real time, continuously refining the schedule based on real-time updates and feedback, kept the project on track.

Technology was Kollu’s ally with Primavera P6 helping the team for detailed scheduling, resource allocation, and overall project planning and he mentions that other tech tools used included TORQ, WISA, Safety Shield, AIS, & e-Mtrack.

A native of Jami, in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district, Kollu hails from a family involved in agriculture for generations. Still single, his family comprise his father, Tata Babu, mother, Aruna and younger brother, Mohan. Spending quality time with them is what he finds most comforting; reading and sports are his other hobbies. “I also love the thrill of completing challenging projects on time,” he laughs.

“I love the trust people have in you and the responsibility given to you to handle things with autonomy,” says Ashok Kumar, about his association with L&T, that he joined as a GCT in 2008. “There is also the freedom to make decisions, which fosters an environment where innovation and leadership thrive.” He is certainly on top of the world having been part of the team as Commercial Head that delivered both phases of the Dhaka Metro project, his 4th, on time winning them L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award – 2024.

“Handling key portfolios like accounts and administration requires unwavering support and collaboration,” he says, warming up to his pet subject. “We adopted a proactive approach, coordinating with the regulators for the repatriation of profit, regularly seeking ways to minimize working capital, and implementing cost-saving measures to optimize financial performance.” He mentions that implementing host-to-host transactions for all banking operations not only streamlined processes but also reinforced the importance of technological advancements to manage critical financial operations.

More than anyone else, Ashok is aware of the criticality of adhering to statutory requirements set by the central bank. “Our interim audited financials and project-specific audited financials were always successfully audited and submitted on time,” he affirms, “and we imported goods from global stakeholders in time, maintaining full compliance with all regulatory requirements.” He recalls the challenges of coordinating with overseas banks and stakeholders for raw materials during the peak of the pandemic. “Then, ensuring timely delivery of raw material was crucial.” He pauses in thought. “We succeeded by coordinating with overseas bankers and stakeholders, with a thorough understanding of the project scope, constantly monitoring progress, and maintaining open communication channels with all stakeholders,” says Ashok, with steely resolve.

He is thankful to his Project Manager, Debakash Banerjee, and BU Finance Head, Alekh Gupta, for their unwavering support and mentorship throughout the project. “They played a key role in creating a learning environment that helped me strengthen my professional skills,” says Ashok, adding that he values his supportive team, crediting his success to their constructive feedback and motivation.

Hailing from Chennai, Ashok is married to Chamanthi, a homemaker, who resigned from her government job when they had to move abroad. The apple of their eyes is their daughter, Thiloshini. When free, he enjoys sports and exploring new destinations.

Having worked across both B&F & TI ICs, and in India and overseas, Ashok is proud of his responsibility of managing critical financial operations.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT BEGINS WITH PLANNING

“Critical aspects of efficient project management are proactive planning, early risk identification, and a strong focus on quality,” declares Akshay Dhawan, “the ability to anticipate potential challenges in execution, procurement, interface conflicts and have mitigation measures in place well in advance.” He is speaking with some authority having been part of the Dhaka Metro CP-07 team that has won L&T Construction’s Timely Delivery Award for their performance. “Of course, seamless coordination between the different project subsystems plays a vital role too in preventing delays and ensuring smooth execution,” he adds with a broad smile.

Previously at the Delhi Metro CT-11 project as Quality and Track Engineer where Akshay gained hands-on experience to execute ballastless and ballasted track works across multiple corridors, he still considers the Dhaka Metro as his most significant project, because of some of the smart initiatives deployed by the team. TORQ digitized RFIs to streamline the approval process, minimize paperwork, and provide real-time tracking while a specialized jig arrangement to install checkrails eliminated the need for core cutting, reduced execution time and costs and enhanced precision and durability. “A strong focus on pre-emptive quality measures, proactive interface coordination, and digital documentation ensured smoother execution and seamless integration across subsystems,” he flags off.

Every large-scale metro project presents unique challenges, and the Dhaka Metro project was no different. “It was our collective responsibility to ensure seamless coordination between multiple subsystems: track work, electrification, signalling, telecom, AFC, platform screen doors, lifts & escalators, and civil contractors, while adhering to strict timelines,” says Akshay, “for which we implemented structured interface management protocols, improving communication and minimizing delays.”

For Akshay, each project is a valuable learning experience, equipping him with the expertise to handle complex metro infrastructure, quality management, and seamless coordination between multidisciplinary teams. “Success, however, is never an individual journey; it’s always a team effort,” he reminds. “My seniors give me strategic direction, technical insights, and constant motivation, to refine my problem-solving and decision-making skills.” His team’s collaborative spirit kept their project on track, overcoming challenges in an environment of knowledge-sharing, adaptability, and mutual support.