FOR A FAST-TRACK ROAD PROJECT,
ITS ALL ABOUT GENERATING ‘FRONTS’!
Like a true efficiency champion, Abhinav Agrawal, right at the outset, describes the two OPEX initiatives he is involved with at the Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway project (MNEP). “The first one is ‘Clear the ROW’ and the second, ‘Smart Invoicing Technique’ and with these two initiatives we were able to invoice just after one month of NTP and achieve our first milestone a full one and half months ahead.” His other major focus has been to ‘generate fronts’ that is vital for a fast track project. “To achieve this before NTP, we cleared and grubbed the entire site that helped identify areas where land had not been acquired well before hand and a clear picture of the areas to be taken up for smooth work progress.”
Since his entry into L&T in 2008, Abhinav has been literally on the road starting with his first project, the Vadodara-Bharuch road project, where he was MIS Engineer. “Thereafter, I moved to the Ahmedabad-Viramgam-Mallya Road project, where I was responsible for all planning activities for a particular package, post which I was part of the Tendering team and subsequently a part of the Project Control Team, both at Mumbai Headquarters. Presently I am in the Mumbai Nagpur Project as Planning Head.”
A major challenge that the MNEP project team face is the availability of earth and water. “A major portion of the project runs through a drought-hit zone and water for construction is a major concern for us,” Abhinav explains. “We have therefore tied up with the local Sewage Treatment Plants for water.” The project requires earth to the tune of some 1.5 crore cum. “To meet this huge requirement, we have extensively surveyed government lands to extract the maximum quantity from those areas and also tied up with the local irrigation departments to deepen the existing dams and canals in the vicinity of the project.”
- Abhinav Agrawal,
Construction Manager — Civil, TI IC
“Given the opportunity, I would like to create a data base of construction workers at cluster level to ease mobilization of skilled workmen at site.”
Another initiative to enhance efficiency has been to deploy subcontractors for small stretches of 3 km. “By deploying approximately 20 earthwork contractors along the stretch, we were able to complete the formation works, which in turn ensured fronts for top layers like GSB, DLC and PQC where productivity of owned assets like batching plants and pavers were involved.”
Abhinav’s native place is Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh and he loves to play chess and watch cricket. His wife, Poonam, was a lecturer in an engineering college though
now a homemaker looking after their son, Poornav. He mentions his marriage and joining L&T as special moments to cherish.
“Optimum operational efficiency is maintained by the way systems are driven at L&T,” he says with conviction, “but given the opportunity, I would like to create a data base of construction workers at cluster level to ease mobilization of skilled workmen at site.”