“Demand for crushers is currently high but financial closures have been kept in abeyance pending the elections,” says Onkar Sapre, Country Head, Sales & Marketing, Taurian Engineering.“We saw 25 per cent growth in demand in 2018-19 and expect the same trend in 2019-20,” predicts V Venkataramana, Vice-President - Marketing, Puzzolana. “Bharatmala Pariyojana road and highways project, dedicated railway corridors, port connectivity projects and other state infra projects are expected to boost demand for crushers.”“After the elections, we expect construction activity to pick up pace significantly, as all eyes are on India to maintain its status as the world’s fastest growing major economy,” says Piero Guizzetti, CEO, MB Crusher India. “Projects like Bharatmala and Sagarmala, among others, will boost construction activity in coming years.”“Road projects across the country and mining projects in eastern India are most likely to boost demand for crushers,” says Sapre.“Road, rail, real estate, mining, power and irrigation projects will be the key drivers,” says Vadiraj Pappu, Business Head, Terex Powerscreen Business, Voltas Mining & Construction Equipment Division. “In the mining sector, new iron ore, bauxite, and coal mining leases to be awarded in Odisha, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, etc, will spur demand. In roads, the drivers will be large projects such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala and Sumrudhi Yojana.”To boost the stone crushing segment, R S Raghavan, Managing Director, Proman Infrastructure Services, believes “the Government has to find creative ways to raise funds to push infrastructure projects like roads, airports and ports, to spur demand for associated construction equipment. Setting targets for the mining sector would lay a foundation for real growth and elicit better commitment from both public and private companies.”- CHARU BAHRI