The company [Shapoorji Pallonji] built the Port Blair airport, which is a marvel in many ways. To learn more about this project, the company’s operations and its adoption of technology, R SRINIVASAN spoke to Prashant Khare, Executive Vice President, Shapoorji Pallonji, Engineering & Construction Division. Excerpts:

The Port Blair project posed several challenges in the planning, construction and commissioning stages. It also faced several logistical challenges including limited ship availability, necessitating meticulous planning to ensure timely material delivery to the remote island site. Stability of the soil strata was difficult to achieve during raft works due to the presence of black cotton soil. Specialised construction equipment was not readily available locally, requiring all items to be transported by sea, either from Chennai or Kolkata. Additionally, transportation and assembly of a crawler crane from Chatham jetty, which is 8.3 km away, posed further challenges. Importing roofing systems, tensile fabric, polycarbonate sheets and larger structural sections from various parts of the world like Dubai, Israel, Germany and China added to the complexity. Prefabricated structural steel segments, including a 85 m-long spinal beam and 125 m-long cantilevers on both sides were fabricated in Chennai transported through sea and assembled on-site.

Despite the fact that Port Blair sees torrential rain and other constraints, structural steel erection proceeded even in the rainy season, necessitating repeated adjustments to infrastructure.

Eight months of heavy rainfall reduced the timeframe for efficient work to just four months. Due to limited ship availability (only three per week from Chennai to Port Blair), meticulous planning was essential to ensure timely delivery of materials to the project site. Procurement and transportation of materials were complicated by the remote island location of the project site. Also manpower retention was addressed by providing one-way tickets, ensuring continuity of personnel for extended periods. Notably, the project featured Asia's second-largest cable net glazing, covering 7,400 sq m, with each glass pane varying in size, adding intricacy to the entire execution process.

What is the major difference between projects in Tier 2 and 3 cities and the ones in Mumbai?
At Shapoorji Pallonji E&C, we take immense pride in our pan-Indian footprint, with over 150 projects spanning Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. While our projects in metropolitan areas like Mumbai are undoubtedly significant, our presence in smaller cities presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges that we embrace wholeheartedly. The scale and complexity differ uniquely from site to site. This demands meticulous planning and execution to deploy resources, leverage technology and mobilise skilled personnel to complete the scope of work within the stipulated time and cost. In Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, we often find ourselves establishing staff and labour camps in remote areas, where collaboration and support from local bodies are pivotal for smooth running of operations. Attracting top talent to these locations also poses a different challenge as prospective candidates factor in considerations such as accommodation, healthcare and educational facilities before deciding to relocate.

On the other hand, projects in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities provide a golden opportunity to positively influence the economy by introducing thousands of jobs to the local community. They also provide a chance to partner with the locals and set up important infrastructure that benefits and uplifts the community. This aligns with Shapoorji Pallonji E&C's core values, as we strive to create a lasting, positive impact on the communities we serve, regardless of their geographical location.

How does software in project monitoring ensure timely delivery?
In project monitoring at construction sites, software is indispensable for ensuring timely deliveries. Scheduling software such as Primavera and Microsoft Project facilitates meticulous planning, while ERP solutions such as SAP assist with effective resource management. Similarly, we have developed our inhouse Cloud-based collaboration platform called ‘SPACE’ wherein quality and safety processes have been completely digitised, thereby providing real-time project monitoring and control insights directly from the site to the screen. At Shapoorji Pallonji E&C, we pride ourselves on the extensive use of Virtual Design & Construction for its model-based design management and project management capabilities. We use data-rich BIM models for monitoring real-time progress and analyse the same in identifying potential delays and bottlenecks early, allowing for swift corrective actions. In more recent endeavours, software using reality capture data is used by site teams to monitor project progress and ensure quality assurance. This ensures projects remain on schedule and within budget, which is crucial for the reputation and success of our company, which prides itself on quality, safety and reliability.

What is the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in reducing the time and cost of projects?
The role AI will play in reducing the time and cost of construction projects will be truly transformative. AI technologies, through predictive analytics and machine learning, can forecast project risks, automate task scheduling and optimise resource allocation. This leads to more accurate planning, decreased waste and enhanced decision-making. AI’s capability to analyse vast datasets enables advanced pattern recognition and the ability to simulate various scenarios within seconds, thus helping the team to zero in on cost-effective strategies and operational efficiencies, significantly reducing project timelines and expenses. AI will play an important role in significantly improving safety and quality at construction projects, thus reducing downtimes and time spent for rework. The quality of the AI will depend heavily on the quality of the datasets provided; therefore, significant efforts are underway at a company level to ensure construction data is being captured in a structured manner for its eventual use in machine learning and predictive analytics. For an industry leader like us, wherein we record vast amounts of construction project data every day, leveraging the power of AI for quick analysis and to accommodate the dynamic changes at project sites through data-driven decision making will be the most critical advantage.

How did the company overcome challenges faced while sourcing raw material for projects?
Primary raw materials required for all projects are sand, aggregate, steel and cement. 

• Sand and aggregate: Sometimes delay or restriction of mining permission and the seasonal demand-and-supply gap pose challenges and cause an erratic increase in cost, which impacts the project. These challenges are mitigated with advanced planning, procuring and creating an inventory of these materials, and replacement of sand with crushed stone with due design mix approval. 
• Cement and steel: When projects require cement (either OPC or PSC) that are not produced in the state and special steel whose production is limited to a few vendors, it creates challenges in timely delivery. These are mitigated by advanced planning and keeping stock of 1.5 to 2 months at the project site to ensure successful completion of the project.

Please tell us about the usage of Green Steel and Green Cement.
Green Steel is the production of steel through renewable resources. In other words, iron ore is basically iron oxide and hydrogen is used to pull oxygen away from iron oxide, leaving pure iron behind – to which a little carbon is added to make steel. Right now, carbon, in the form of coke, has been used for pulling away oxygen; when carbon joins hands with oxygen it becomes carbon dioxide, which is mankind’s greatest enemy today. Hydrogen can do the job of coke just as well, but it now emerges that much of Indian iron ore is unsuitable for making green steel. While Green Steel, using hydrogen, is difficult to make in India, scientists are looking out for processes that can at least bring down CO2 emissions. So, availability of Green Steel becomes the biggest barrier.

Green Cement is an eco-friendly cement that uses a carbon-negative process of manufacturing. The major raw materials used to produce Green Cement include discarded waste from the industry, including slag from the blast furnace and fly ash. The use of advanced technology makes the manufacturing process highly energy-efficient. The carbon dioxide emitted during this process is significantly low. Reports suggest that the carbon footprint is reduced by 40 per cent in this process. The use of Green Cement has increased. Further, design approval will helpreduce the carbon footprint.

As Mumbai’s average air quality index has worsened, what should be done at construction sites?
Our company has followed all policies and regulations from central and local governments to contain air pollution, which is evident from the number of awards the company has received for its works in multiple projects. Devices that measure meteorological and air quality parameters around the clock and guide mitigation efforts have been installed at all project sites. Also exploring and using alternative energy sources like solar, along with adoption of biofuels and green construction practices is always encouraged and incorporated into project planning. All our project sites have dust enclosures and use other dust suppression techniques to minimise the release of airborne pollutants. Waste management protocols, including segregation, storage and disposal practices, are enforced to prevent open burning of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Regular internal audits evaluate the effectiveness of air quality control measures onsite. Conversely, unnecessary idling of construction equipment and machinery, use of aging equipment and irregular maintenance are avoided.

What should business houses do to manage construction waste?
As per nationwide estimates, the daily C&D waste production in India stands at 30,000 tonne. The Government has introduced a policy framework and rules to tackle C&D waste. But for groundbreaking results, C&D waste management should be inculcated in every stakeholder’s day-to-day processes. Effective waste management can begin from the design phase itself and over the course of the construction cycle. Architects and design engineers need to make a conscious effort to reduce material requirements by optimising their structural design. Execution teams at sites should ensure that work is done right the first time itself to avoid design changes. Wherever possible, discarded materials should be recycled or reused. Discarded doors, metal frames, bricks and concrete can be effectively reused or recycled. Finally, any left-over C&D waste deemed unfit for recycling should be disposed of into designated areas, ensuring there is no negative impact to the surrounding environment.