In most EPC companies, sales and project management are two distinct departments that reports to the Business head.Sales Managers are responsible for the TOP line of the financials, i.e. orders booked.Most business heads will generally not let go of a prospective order as the TOP line is important for growth targets.Sales Managers often receive support and clearances to conclude sales by agreeing to customers conditions and specifications.Risks and opportunities identified during the sales phase cannot be fully provided for the pricing and so most projects are sold with substantial unprovided risks and minimum margins.Project Managers are tasked with delivering what is sold and to improve margins- i.e. they provide the “BOTTOM LINE” of the financials.Under the above circumstances, several points come up.Which of the above two functions is preferred to head a business when an opportunity arises?In most companies, sales deals/contracts are signed and finalized at the highest management levels. Project[...]

Prakash Asphaltings & Toll Highways India Limited (PATH) have selected Eka Infra Consultants Private Limited as their primary project management and engineering partner for Phase 1 of a Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Bengaluru. The project is the first, the first MMLP to be implemented under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. It will, when operational, be the largest MMLP in India. Eka Infra’s team was selected due to its proven track record for teamwork and dedication to excellence in infrastructure planning and engineering. The 2-year development program will demonstrate the ability of Eka Infra to fast-track design and project implementation without compromising on quality and governance. Sajith Sreedharan, the Managing Director of Eka Infra said, “A big thank you to PATH and every member of Eka Infra who contributed to demonstrating our capacity to deliver this critical infrastructure development. The trust developed and the teamwork built must continue into[...]

The love for chai is an ever-present reality in India, especially in the workplace. The temperature outside may be 4oC  r 45oC but rarely has an Indian shied away from a chai invitation. Every Indian workplace, be it an astir corporate office or a small business, each entity has it's own chai culture. Employees of all levels engage in a 'chai ritual' where they gather at the office pantry or a chai stall (tapri) to have tea. An affordable beverage, all loves chai irrespective of socioeconomic differences. Tea culture in India can trace its roots back to ancient times, where it began as a potion of herbs and medicinal infusions. Making its debut in Asia around 3000 BC and initially served as an herbal drink, an exclusive beverage for the nobility. Its initial iteration was a combination of spices, with no actual tea leaves involved. A transformative moment came as tea[...]

Few days back, I was part of a meeting that our team was having with a key Client to discuss a project encompassing Civil and PEB works and Planning. The discussion gradually veered towards the commercial domain, when suddenly the Client dismissed most of the work including PEB work as “petty works”. Having a PEB (Pre-Engineered Buildings) background and a habit of introspecting each and every sentence that comes out of everyone around me, I felt I should set straight the perception on quality engineering and planning and its importance in execution, operations and maintenance. Although, after few moments of scrutiny I realised the Client’s observation was absolutely justified since PEB design and its implementation is absolutely simple, cost effective and takes very less time. However, when someone calls it petty work, I thought of penning down my views on what it entails to make these structures simple, elegant and cost[...]

A recent article in the Economic Times, said “Morgan Stanley upgrades India to 'standout overweight' market.”  That is a positive endorsement for India as the preferred Equity Markets in the emerging economies. Another sign of India’s economic growth and prosperity. It illustrates that more people have more disposable income to spend as they want on goods and services. These facts join to enable entrepreneurs to access capital and create jobs, creating a virtuous circle of growth and economic development in a growing and young population.The Indian equity market has been one of the best for value generation in recent years. It has consistently outperformed other major markets including the US and European markets. In numbers, from early 2021 until October 2022 the MSCI EM index increased by 45.5% (in USD terms. India is performing as the outstanding market in relative EPS [Earning Per Shares] in the emerging economies. As a bonus,[...]

"What is distinctively human at the most fundamental level is the capacity to persuade and be persuaded" - Bertrand Russell, 1927 Welcome to the capitalistic bonanza everyone, hope you enjoy your stay. You can avail an upgrade at a small price of just half of your peace of mind, that has been ruined by constantly being pushed towards advertisements. In today's world, saturated with capitalist influences and relentless advertising, it becomes essential to explore approaches beyond aggressive sales tactics to build trust and credibility with sceptical prospects. So how does a sales representative go beyond and build trust with sceptical prospects rather than being pigeonholed as being aggressive and pushy? By knowing when and how to implement a soft selling approach. Soft sellers possess a remarkable skill set that keeps prospects engaged without resorting to pushy techniques. By avoiding incessant pressure and allowing room for deliberation, they provide valuable information and[...]

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) in construction projects is a project delivery approach where the potential contractors are consulted during the early stages (often the project concept phase) of the project. This approach gained popularity in the early 20th century to streamline projects as a response to the complexity of large infrastructure projects. It aims to supplement the project from the concept phase until completion with the experiences of several competent contractors in the field and is useful irrespective of the contracting methodology (i.e., single package EPC contract or project scope divided to several packages) followed by the project owners/promoters. The shortcomings of traditional approach where contractor interactions during the initial/pretender phase was frowned upon and often led to in cost/time overruns due lack of trust and understanding amongst the parties.Early contractor involvement provides advantages that are driven by their knowledge of:1. Available and/or ease of procurement of construction materials (and costs)2.[...]

The Bureau of Indian Standards released IS 17893:2023 - Work Permit System — Code of Practice in June 2023. This Standard was adopted by the BIS after the draft finalized by the Chemical Hazards Sectional Committee had been approved by the Chemical Division Council. The purpose of this standard is to establish a systematic method to identify potential hazards and outline the necessary precautions to establish safe working conditions for carrying out any work and this standard provides guidance for preparation of work permit for work areas whose activities are restrictive in nature such as 'cold work’, 'hot work’, 'electrical Work’, 'height Work’ etc.What is Work Permit System?The work permit is a certified procedure for allowing certain work to be carried out in a fixed place and during a given period of time. It is also a procedure authorizing entry to certain facilities. It provides a check list for a systematic[...]

Objective: Precast and in-situ construction methods are commonly used in the construction industry. Precast refers to the manufacturing of components off-site, usually in a controlled factory environment, while in-situ (also known as cast-in-place or site-cast) construction involves pouring concrete on-site into formwork to create the desired structural elements.Stage-wise design refers to the process of designing a structure in different stages or phases considering the construction sequence and the specific requirements of each stage. When combining precast and in-situ construction methods in a stage-wise design, the overall construction process can be optimized for efficiency and cost-effectiveness. For example, using pre-cast elements as permanent formwork for larger concrete structures.Here's an overview of how this approach can be implemented:Preliminary Design: During the preliminary design stage, the overall structure is conceptualized, and its general requirements are determined. Factors such as loading, building codes, architectural considerations, and functional requirements are considered.The decision to use precast or[...]

Many fire-related high-risk activities, such as welding, cutting, grinding, others hot works, temporary electrical and lighting equipment etc., are involved in infrastructure development projects. In addition to the storage or use of highly flammable materials, both of which can be extremely hazardous and harm people, infrastructure, and the environment. In development projects, there are frequently fire incidents. Given the severity of the fire safety issues, it is necessary to implement the following fire prevention technology in order to prevent fire incidents. 1.Fire Hazard Identification and Risk AssessmentThe first step in fire prevention is to conduct a risk assessment prior to beginning the project to identify potential threats and triggers that might result in an emergency.Hazards can include:-Faulty electric connection and cables-Overloaded or defective plug sockets-Heating appliances-Combustible materials and flammable liquids placed near heat sources-Smoking and open flames-Poor housekeeping2.Fire Prevention PlanA fire prevention plan must be implemented to prevent a fire from[...]

Issued in: Industrial Safety Chronicle VOL. No. LIII | No.2Droners are also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Unmanned Aircraft System (UASs). It can be remotely controlled through software, working in conjunction with on board sensor and Global Positioning System (GPS). With advancement in technology, drones are used for different purpose and application such as delivery, national highway mapping, smart agriculture work, agriculture land survey, forest monitoring, surveillance emergency response, etc. Also, it has been used for high-risk jobs wherein many types of risks are eliminated including exposer to health and unsafe conditions e.g. inspection of electricity transmission towers, pipelines, structural stability, tall chimneys, boilers, etc.To regulate the drone related activities in a manner such that they do not pose any risk to safety or security of people and assets; the Govt of India promulgated the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021 w.e.f. 12th March, 2021. However, these Rules are[...]