B&F PROJECTS STRAIN MUSCLE
AND SINEW TO HAND OVER
As cities were hot pandemic zones for long, the adverse impact on B&F projects was magnified. Even so, several projects across the country and across segments have collectively pulled themselves together to catch up lost time and ground and push for completion. Plans have been recalibrated, new methodologies adopted, timelines shrunk, and shifts increased to deliver as per contractual commitments.
ONGC, KAKINADA
IN THE FINAL LEG
The assignment to build a logistics park for ONGC in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, was awarded in March 2019, although the building plan approval came only in August 2020. Subsequently, the revised date of completion for Project Manager Mir Golam Moinuddin and team is 24th April 2022. The site is therefore buzzing with activity. “We have completed 95% of the structure, 70% of MEP and about 40% of finishing,” he shares. The scope includes ready-to-move-in office space of 1.5 lakh sq. ft., closed warehouse of 7 lakh sq. ft., open storage of 7 lakh sq. ft., an e-Centre called IOPS (Integrated Operations System), a medical centre and supporting facilities like a fire station, a 1,400 cum. capacity water tank, a STP of 20 KLD, security cabins, and an electrical substation building.
“All our structural drawings have been vetted by IIT, the entire facility is plug-and-play, and the building parameters are energy efficient, monitored by a Building Management System. Its orientation is a result of sun path analysis for maximum natural light and minimum glare, and the entire facility is designed for zero discharge.”
Mir Golam Moinuddin
Project Manager,
ONGC, Kakinada
Elaborating on some of the salient features of his project, Mir says, “All our structural drawings have been vetted by IIT, the entire facility is plug and-play, and the building parameters are energy efficient, monitored by a Building Management System. Its orientation is a result of sun path analysis for maximum natural light and minimum glare, and the entire facility is designed for zero discharge.” Low volatile organic compound paints have been used, rooftop solar panels spread over 18,000 sq. m will generate 1.4 MW of power, and a RFID system is being implemented for efficient inventory management. Another standout feature of the project is a unique but challenging tensile fabric structure of 50 m dia. at a height of 32 m, sitting on top of a hollow RCC shaft of 4.1 m dia.
ONGC, Kakinada
SMART THINKING
Planning Manager Mudasir Nissar speaks of several out-of-the-ordinary methods adopted to speed up progress and save cost and time. “Using a crawler-mounted crane instead of a tower crane gave us better mobility around the buildings and saved us the cost of pile foundations.” Convincing the client to use M-sand instead of river sand proved to be a boon on the cost front. The team used 15 km of Hume pipes in place of conventional RCC drains and opted for steel plant slag instead of GSB, which have all contributed to bring down cost. “We convinced the client to use fly-ash in the concrete, which was not agreed earlier at the tendering stage,” says Mudasir. Construction Manager Pravat Das adds, “We are laying PQC with dumpers along with transit mixers, have adopted precast for all conventional foundations/pedestals to speed up construction, and for grade slabs, we used thicker cover blocks made at site to save the cost of steel chairs.”
MUCH AWARDED
Mir is especially proud of his site’s performance across all fronts that has translated into several awards and recognition. For EHS In-charge Chowke Shankar Lingam, the British Safety Council’s (BSC’s) 5-star Audit Score of 96.04% and the Sword of Honor Award are standout achievements, regarded as the pinnacle of EHS performance. The site has won the RoSPA Gold and thus far clocked 3 million safe and quality manhours. ONGC Kakinada has also been at the forefront of digital adoption, recognized as the Best Digitally Enabled Project in 2020 across L&T and bagging the award for the Best Digital Innovation Award for their bulk material wastage reduction programme this year, much to Digital Officer Amit Agarwal’s delight. Scoring > 98% in Quality is another achievement and a proof of customer satisfaction, emphasizes Naveen Kumar Borra, Manager QA/QC. Finally, the Swacch Workmen Habitat Award is certainly one of the prime reasons for their success, adds Mir in conclusion.
NXTRA
HANDING OVER A 38 MW HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER
Project Director S Arunkumar looks happy as 100% of his structure, finishing, and MEP works for the Data Center Building, Substation Building, DG Yard, Underground Pump Room, and Underground High-speed Diesel Tank are ready. “Even the testing as per the global standard testing scripts and commissioning is done, and we are in the process of handing over,” he says, looking immensely satisfied. “The T&C was completed on 11th January 2022, and we expect to obtain the closure document by 28th February. Our project was virtually inaugurated by the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri M K Stalin,” he adds with a smile.
“Even the testing as per the global standard testing scripts and commissioning is done, and we are in the process of handing over. The T&C was completed on 11th January 2022, and we expect to obtain the closure document by 28th February.”
S Arunkumar
Project Director, NXTRA Data Center
Planning Manager R Balaji talks about the salient features of the Tier 3, 38 MW hyperscale data center: “The product quality has won appreciation from both Nxtra and L&T managements. A lot of value addition was initiated by the site team along with EDRC, like reducing the huge screed thickness by redesigning the terrace mother slab with slope, changing the granite floor finishes to PU finish for faster execution and longer life, implementing modular type support system (Utility Grid) in the false ceilings of Data Halls for MEP services to avoid drilling in PT slab & conjunctions of services, MCT (Multi Cable Transit) block used for external periphery wall crossing areas, etc.”
NXTRA Data Center
MEP Manager S Balaji adds some more salient features: “We have used a buffer tank to maintain the temperature in the data hall during an outage, the latest version of modular-type UPS ’Trienergy Cube’ having back feed protection with intelligent parallel communication and better energy saving, lithium-ion batteries to load the UPS backup for longer life, and Sivacon-type models for the LT panels for lesser footprint.” The PLC bulk load bank was tested too for 12 hours with 100% load for the six 11 kV HT DG sets, and a modular load bank was used for 4 hours to test heat load and UPS performance.
Being a first-of-its-kind project, the team had to tread carefully, taking elaborate steps to ensure perfect delivery. “We implemented 4D BIM for the first time and BIM 360 field for project monitoring,” mentions Digital Officer K Maheedhar Reddy. “All the project modules were updated in BIM 360, and the huge MEP works were well coordinated through the BIM model.”
EHS In-charge R Vimal is delighted to receive the certificate for clocking 3 million safe manhours from the CEO of NXTRA, Mr. Rajesh Tapadia, and for winning a RoSPA Gold in 2021.
AIRPORT PROJECTS PUSH FOR TAKE-OFF
BENGALURU INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL 2 AIRPORT PROJECT
BIAL
The BIAL T2 is a unique airport, with its design of a new terminal being inspired by Bengaluru’s history as a ‘Garden City’. The airport has a host of salient water features including hanging bells and veils with flora, a forest belt area with mounds and flora, a garden pavilion, bamboo ceiling inside the terminal, and brick-clad major areas.
HIAL
“The project is currently 81% complete, and the team is gunning to complete by end-September 2022,” informs Project Director J K Shivaraj. “Terminal 2 has been commissioned with permanent power, and we have received the statutory CEA approvals for the electrical installations on 14th July 2021. The testing for the entire BHS, VHT systems, and PBB is in progress with permanent EB power. The installations of some of the artistic and unique elements, like hanging bells, veils, and bamboo ceiling works, are progressing in full swing.”
“The project is currently 81% complete, and the team is gunning to complete by end-September 2022. Terminal 2 has been commissioned with permanent power, and we have received the statutory CEA approvals for the electrical installations on 14th July 2021.”
J K Shivaraj
Project Director, BIAL T2
Deputy Project Director K P Maheswarappa picks up the story. “We have completed 3.75 lakh m3 of RCC works including the terminal, piers, forecourt, elevated corridor, and multi modal transport hub car parking facility. 13,000 MT of structural steel pertaining to the terminal, forecourt, piers, all ancillary structures, and the Garden Pavilion are completed.” The entire roof spreads across 71,500 sq. m comprising the terminal, piers, connecting corridors, and FLBs is also completed. The building façade comprising 23,000 sq. m of glazing, 11,000 sq. m of metal panels , 9,000 sq. m of stucco wall, and 12,900 sq. m of skylights is completed, overcoming stiff challenges of the pandemic as well as the subsequent challenges due to severe shortage of material and skilled workmen post relaxation of the lockdown restrictions. The entire Back of House (BOH) finishing is in an advanced stage of completion, and the Front of House finishing work is in progress. The granite laying and external & internal brick cladding works are on the verge of completion.
“We have completed 3.75 lakh m3 of RCC works including the terminal, piers, forecourt, elevated corridor, and multi modal transport hub car parking facility. 13,000 MT of structural steel pertaining to the terminal, forecourt, piers, all ancillary structures, and the Garden Pavilion are completed.”
K P Maheswarappa
Deputy Project Director,
BAIL T2
“The MCR Data Centre in the terminal has been inaugurated and testing works are in progress,” MEP & Airport Systems Head Anne Sriram Kumar continues with the update. “The mechanical works for DG power and the HVAC centralized chill plant are over and are being standalone tested. The BHS, HBS, and SBD systems have permanent power and integration testing is in progress. The systems interface for the ICT systems is complete, the site acceptance test (SAT) has commenced, and we have started the dry run for the AHU. Wild air commissioning has commenced in the mechanical equipment rooms that cater to the departure and arrival areas.”
BIM IMPLEMENTATION AND DIGITALIZATION
“This is the first project wherein all the stakeholders (client, L&T, subcontractors, and vendors) are working on BIM 360 and releasing all the shop drawings through BIM,” shares Design Head Narin Gobindranath with a smile. “This is also the first project where we are implementing the facility management data for the O&M team.” All the BMS data along with the static data from the 3D model are integrated and handed over to the client for efficient facility management with the ‘Digital Twin Model’. “Digital solutions used at site include AssetInsight, WISA, IB4U, P&M Resource Allocator, Digital Store, and the Safety App,” shares Digital Officer Sabarish N. He is equally thrilled and appreciative of the entire project team’s effort in winning the Best Project award in ‘Airport Operations’ for digital implementation and the 1st place as the project with the Best Digital EHS Practices.
HIAL
MORE ACCOLADES
The fruits of EHS In-charge R V Sudhakar’s & Quality In-charge V Yegappan’s efforts are that the site has successfully clocked 15 million safe manhours, won BSC’s Sword of Honor award in 2020, achieved a 5-star rating for excellence in EHS practices, procured the first place in ‘Infrastructure’ in the CII-SR Excellence Awards in 2019, and won the Quality Trophy Award in FY 2019–20 within B&F.
HIAL EXPANSION PROJECT
“94% of the airside work, 81% of the structure, 32% of finishing, and 53% of the MEP works are all over.”
C H Anil Kumar
Project Director, HIAL Expansion Project
With a target to complete the project by September 2022, the HIAL Expansion Project team has made fair ground. “94% of the airside work, 81% of the structure, 32% of finishing, and 53% of the MEP works are all over,” highlights Project Director C H Anil Kumar.
In terms of delivery, Deputy Project Director P Venugopal Kurup adds, “We have handed over the West Apron along with Taxiway-E, part of M, M21, & B6 junctions, South East Apron along with B4 & B3 junctions and Taxiway-B, the rapid exit taxiway, the GSE tunnel, and the sewage treatment plant 1.” Highlighting some site innovations, he says, “We have completed the truss erections using Strand Jack for the West & East Processor Buildings.” The first was a lift of 400 MT, followed by lifts of 250 MT, 200 MT, & 225 MT, respectively. The site is being monitored in real time with a project management tool developed by the client, GMR.
“We have handed over the West Apron along with Taxiway-E, part of M, M21, & B6 junctions, South East Apron along with B4 & B3 junctions and Taxiway-B, the rapid exit taxiway, the GSE tunnel, and the sewage treatment plant 1.”
P Venugopal Kurup
Deputy Project Director,
HIAL Expansion Project
Digital Officer Raju Singh has a lot to write home about, with the site being recognized as the Best Digitally Enabled Project and winning the award for the Innovative Digital Solutions in 2019 and 2021.
There have been accolades from the client for achieving 30,000 cum. of concrete in successive months – July and August 2019 – by maintaining highest safety standards followed by a certificate of appreciation for consistent contribution to EHS and high-standard safety culture and a certificate of excellence from AGL Works for the new rapid exit taxiway.
GRASIM EXPANSION PROJECT
FINISHING THE ‘FINISHING’
Having completed more than 175,000 cum. of concrete and continuously poured 11,000 cum. for more than six months, Project Manager Sanjeev Thakur is pushing hard for completion as their contractual delivery date of 31st January 2022 has just passed. “100% of both our civil and structure works are complete and about 99% of the finishing,” he updates.
Sanjeev proclaims one of the project’s achievements with pride: “The team completed 1,200 MT of heavy truss erection at a height of 45 m with the help of a 750 T crane in just 105 days, including assembly.”
“100% of both our civil and structure works are complete and about 99% of the finishing. The team completed 1,200 MT of heavy truss erection at a height of 45 m with the help of a 750 T crane in just 105 days, including assembly.”
Sanjeev Thakur
Project Manager,
Grasim Expansion Project
Planning Manager Vishal Shah who has played a key role in the site winning the IC Quality Award in 2021, says, “We started to procure screen sand, which reduces screening wastage, saves cost by about 20%– 30%, and improves the production capacity of the plant.” By opting for mechanized cut and bend rather than the conventional method, the team reduced labor requirement & cost and restricted the amount of wastage of reinforcement, especially in the lower dia. Quality In-charge Mohammad Rafiq mentions introducing sand filling by boom placer without any cement content, for the first time in India, which saved time to complete the critical structure and cost of labor.
EHS In-charge Chirag Soni is bright with excitement as he has been instrumental in the site bagging the prestigious BSC’s Sword of Honor award as well as the ‘Prashna Patra’ from the Safety Council of India. The digital implementation award for the project in the Factories segment is a matter of pride for Digital Officer Gaurav Dang.
Grasim Expansion Project
PRESTIGE JINDAL CITY
CLOSING IN ON COMPLETION
Prestige Jindal City
Project Director K Ravi Chandran must manage a very demanding client and locals of the surrounding dense residential houses as he and his team execute the Prestige Jindal City project, spread across 32 acres featuring five buildings and 15 towers, each tower with three basements, a ground floor, and 30 floors. Targeting a work completion date of 31st August 2022, Project Manager & Finishes Head, A Subramanian, says, “100% of the structure & 100% of the MEP scope is completed within the agreed schedule, and 90% of the finishes scope is in progress as per schedule. Final handing over of three of the total five buildings is in progress.” To improve efficiencies, Planning Manager Mrs. V Ramani shares some innovative steps they have adopted. “We use tractors with attachments like hydraulic trolleys for basement concrete works, broomer with sprinklers to clean roads and pathways, and a boom lift for the external finishing of the Club House.”
“100% of the structure & 100% of the MEP scope is completed within the agreed schedule, and 90% of the finishes scope is in progress as per schedule. Final handing over of three of the total five buildings is in progress.”
A Subramanian
Project Manager & Finishes Head,
Prestige Jindal City
The site leadership is proud of the several awards the project has received thus far. “We have won the Sword of Honor and a 5-star rating from the BSC in 2020,” says a visibly excited EHS In-charge R Vadivelu, “and the National Safety Council award in 2020.” The project also won the Digital Award (RBU South) for 2019 and 2020, which are feathers in Digital Officer Mrs. Akshata Jain’s cap. Recognition for Quality Incharge P Manikandan has come in the form of an appreciation from the client for 16 million quality man hours. The project has also been appreciated by the client for maintaining best practices and excellence in quality throughout the project duration.
HOSPITAL PROJECTS
SAFELY NEGOTIATING THE FINAL RUN
The AIIMS, Gorakhpur, project featuring a 750-bed hospital, medical & nursing college, residential & hostel complex, service blocks, and external development was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, so Project Manager N Subramanian can now focus his attention on putting the final touches to his project. Scheduled for a handover on 31st March 2022, the team has completed 99.5% of Phase 1, 99.34% of Phase 2, 98.44% of Phase 3, and 87.05% of Phase 4. “The client could start the academic session in the MNC Block within 14 months from the start of the project,” he says triumphantly and adds, “We won the Exemplary Performance Award for our site management from the Hon’ble Vice President at the 12th GRIHA Summit.” Not only is he smiling broadly, but his Planning Manager, S Ramkumar, is beaming too for achieving the highest concrete productivity for 6 months consecutively using the CP30 batching plant.
“The client could start the academic session in the MNC Block within 14 months from the start of the project. We won the Exemplary Performance Award for our site management from the Hon’ble Vice President at the 12th GRIHA Summit.”
N Subramanian
Project Manager,
AIIMS, Gorakhpur
Digital Officer Dassprakash has been busy implementing Procube to monitor project progress, which has helped the project team immensely, while the Digital Store has significantly improved workmen productivity. “To address a few discrepancies in Procube, we conceptualized, developed, and implemented a detailed tracker for the individual buildings,” he says, “that represents the progress of work – room-wise, floor-wise, and activitywise – with a project date of completion on different dashboards. This has helped us in detailed monitoring and simplified decision making.”
AIIMS, Gorakhpur
Assam Cancer Care Hospitals is a huge project involving design-and-build hospitals with a Radiation Block, with 10 projects spread across Assam as a hub-and-spoke network of 3 levels of hospitals. “Some of the unique technologies and techniques we are using include stone columns, earthquake-resistant base isolators, radiation-free bunkers for LINAC machines, a drywall system, and seismic joints,” informs Project Director Anjan Mohapatro, who has an army of Project Managers – Manish Kumar, Pradeepta Das, Dilip Kumar Bera, and Sailen Bera – and Planning Managers – Debjyoti Ghosh, Jyotirmoy Adhikary, Ranajith Saha, and Abhijit Dash – to drive the project, which is presently 76% complete with 83% of structure, 37% of finishing, and 69% of MEP works over. “We have to hand over the first six hospitals by 24th April 2022, the next three by 30th September 2022, and the remaining by 15th August 2023,” reminds Anjan.
Tata Cancer Care Hospital, SCI Guwahati
“Some of the unique technologies and techniques we are using include stone columns, earthquake-resistant baseisolators, radiation-free bunkers for LINAC machines, a drywall system, and seismic joints. We have to hand over the first six hospitals by 24th April 2022, the next three by 30th September 2022, and the remaining by 15th August 2023.”
Anjan Mohapatro
Project Director,
Assam Cancer Care Hospitals
The team has eliminated the use of Transit Mixers by pumping the readymix concrete from the batching plant to the work site through pipes and have deployed a Well Point Dewatering System for STP/Ramp foundation to deal with the heavy seepage of ground water. “We use a host of digital tools,” says Digital Officer Bijeta Bhowal, “BIM 4D, Procube, Digital Store, WISA, IB4U, Conquer, the Safety App, the Concrete Tool, the Reinforcement Tool, and more.”
EHS In-charge Tapan Mistry is happy that the site has clocked 10 million safe manhours and has won the RoSPA award. His colleague Amitava Chaudhury is also glad that their QMS rating from the client has been frequently 10/10, and both mention several appreciation certificates from the client and internal annual rolling trophies to acknowledge their high standards of safety and quality.
The challenges are many, but project teams across B&F are facing them and standing firm to deliver as promised. That is what we are known for.