“Working at L&T means working for my country’s people,” Saleem Raza proclaims. “Water is a basic human need, and there is always a sense of giving back to the nation through our welfare scheme projects.” His previous stints include the Piyaj Unad Package-2 and Athikadavu Avinashi Lift Irrigation Scheme Projects as Section In-charge. “When we delivered water from the Narmada River to the village ponds of Gandhinagar and Mehsana districts, the whole village visited our site to show their gratitude,” he recalls with pride.
At the Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation Project, Saleem’s third with L&T, the team has been resolving several project- and people-related issues. While the pipe-laying required higher-capacity cranes, the approach road and crossing of the 11 kV transmission lines were causing problems to shift the 3 m dia. pipe. “We addressed the issues by widening the roads and elevating the height of the transmission line through continuous follow-ups with the electricity distribution department,” he relates.
Pre-fabricating bends is one of the unique initiatives of Saleem and team. “We locate bends along the pipeline, pre-fabricate them in the pipe yards, a controlled environment that increases productivity and gives us the flexibility to lay pipes anytime, even during the monsoon,” he explains. He also interacts with the local farmers and panchayat officials to ascertain the exact location and dimensions of the utility lines in advance since the PVC utility lines along the ROU are difficult to detect. Saleem mentions being stuck in a flooded 400 m long low-lying nallah stretch after a bout of unseasonal rain and huge underground water seepage, and appreciates the team’s meticulous planning to save the day.
Digitally, the site has been the first to adopt the automated orbital welding technique for pipe fit-up inside the trenches, with good results. “The weld quality has improved, and defects are negligible, that in turn increases productivity,” informs Saleem. Other digital tools include GIS progress monitoring for pipe laying, QIR and ViewEHS Apps to improve quality and safety, and Power BI for real-time tracking.
He understands the importance of maintaining good relations. “I make it a point to celebrate even small targets with our subcontractors and workmen,” he reveals. “Since the work is being executed on double-crop agricultural land, the working season is limited so after meeting with the local farmers and panchayats, we arranged timely crop compensation payments for them.”
A native of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, Saleem is married to Urusha Tameem, a homemaker. Holding their daughter, Rushda Raza Khan, in his arms for the first time is one of Saleem’s most memorable moments. He enjoys playing cricket and reading autobiographies of leaders and about investing.
KNOWING FULL WELL THAT TIME IS
OF THE ESSENCE
P Ravishankar
Assistant Construction Manager (Electrical), WET IC
All his actions are focused on completing tasks quickly and efficiently, for P Ravishankar is fully aware that time is of essence in construction. At the Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation Project, his second with L&T, after joining in June 2016, he directly erected two 10 MVA power transformers onto the substation transformer foundation without stacking it in the stores, thus saving time and money for unloading & loading.
“On the transmission line alignment, I surveyed to find the shortest route, executed as per feasibility and in the process reduced 105 poles and saved costs too,” he shares, proud of his contribution. Conducting inspections of structural materials and equipment at the vendor’s place is saving time, and he adds, “Efficient and timely resource mobilization of men, material and machinery is also proving beneficial for us.”
Time has another dimension for Ravishankar and team for their alignment runs through double-crop agricultural land, hence the window for pole erection is very small. “To ensure that we complete the activity in time, we surveyed the alignment, shifted the poles near to the working location and used JCB-mounted pole masters to erect poles faster. We met the farmers and panchayats too to explain our requirement to them. In the end, we completed the activity with full safety (zero harm) and better productivity,” he smiles.
There were more stumbling blocks for the team like the existing 33/11 kV transmission lines crossing in the alignment, for which prior approvals from the TPWODL Department helped them to execute smoothly as per the approved survey alignment. The two 33 kV underground cable crossings at the East Coast Railway premises was another concern, for which approvals from the East Coast Railway Department paved the way for hassle-free execution. “Initially, we were supposed to cut 2,150 trees to make way for the transmission line alignment, but after carefully studying the route we discovered that we needed to cut just 300. We saved the lives of some 1,850 trees,” Ravishankar shares their green achievement joyfully.
He is full of praise for his Project Manager’s support who, he says, “always listens to our issues thoroughly and guides us with his vast experience. Our planning team and support departments (P&M, Stores, Admin & Accounts, Safety & Quality) are doing a great job to solve the forecasted issues regarding execution, and finally, the execution team is always standing side by side to share knowledge and expertise of how things must be done.”
A native of Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, Ravishankar is married to Varalakshmi R, a homemaker. When free, he loves to play cricket, ride his motorcycle & car, and read autobiographies of leaders.
COME RAIN OR HIGH WATER, WE WILL DELIVER
Sudarsan Dutta
Assistant Construction Manager (Civil), WET IC
After successfully completing two lift irrigation projects, the Upper Indravati Lift Irrigation Project, Kalahandi and the Mahulpali Lift Irrigation Scheme, Sudarsan Dutta arrived at the Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation Project (GMLIP), where he was initially assigned to execute the Inlet and Bypass Ducts for the pump house from the tail race channel of the hydro power project. “Having started the work during the monsoon and with the duct chamber at a depth of 13 m, we needed to construct a retaining wall at the end of the tail race channel to avoid water inflow from the Bargarh Main Canal,” he shares, describing the team’s task. “We executed the task in the shortest possible time, working through the monsoon period, despite heavy seepage and a high water table, thanks to our meticulous planning and dedicated sub-contractors,” he says, delighted at having passed his first test with flying colors, winning the client’s appreciation for their achievement.
By marking the ROU/ROW to lay the pipes for the pressure main alignment in advance, the team eliminated any possible problems before starting the pipe laying work. “We have three river crossings in our project and initially our plan was to go for underground pipes; however, due to the soil conditions and enormous water seepage, we had to lay the pipes above the ground,” he shares. Starting in peak summer, the team again completed the task in a short duration of just three months which has contributed to keeping the project on track.
“We have made excellent progress in our project due to our design, our strategy to quickly move from underground to overground pipe networks, our people, our workers, and our subcontractors,” says Sudarsan. “Of course, my seniors have guided me, asking me to concentrate on work progress, giving me the required manpower and materials in time that have helped me achieve my task.” He recognizes the role of his team members too. “We work towards a common goal to complete the planned work on time and have worked day and night to complete the assigned works.”
“My native place is Village No. 2 Maghpala, in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district,” he informs. Married to Panchami Gharami, a homemaker, the apple of their eyes is their daughter, Spriha. During his free time, Sudarsan likes to play games, watch movies and travel, and some of his best memories are working through the pandemic to extract maximum output from his project.
Sudarsan is all praise for the company he keeps, describing L&T as a platform where employees can enjoy career growth and learn vast skills in construction management, to execute projects safely and with best quality.