Insight Volume No.3 | Issue 4 | October 2013

SPECIAL FEATURE Mina Salman Interchange, Bahrain special STORY: KRCL TUNNEL PROJECT,

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From MD’s desk

There is always a hidden tension fraught with anticipation making that can devour while working headlines overseas. Will we be able to finish the job on time? What if there’s labour trouble? Will we be able to match the milestones? These questions can get to you if you let it linger ArcellorMittal has issued an too long in your mind. 1 appreciation certificate and let- Eventualities happen no ter for successfully achieving two matter how much we plan. million Safe Man hours, in Liberia, But the smartness on the on October 5, 2013. job decides how quickly and tactfully we finish a project Ministry of Works, Bahrain on time. We must, therefore, 2 has awarded an learn to think ahead, plan appreciation certificate for with an imagination, follow delivering the first milestone in am delighted to share with methodology but not become Mina Salman Interchange Project, you that we have bagged its slave and inspire everyone on July 9, 2013. two new projects. The jobs to take responsibility for are in two new countries. whatever they do. Once IOne is Bangladesh which is we become accountable to a completely new territory for ourselves, we will know how us, where, we will be working much we have done and how on the Dhaka-Chittagong far we can get. railway corridor with IRCON. We have worked with The other is Kuwait, where distinction in the Middle East - again the job location is new, Oman, Dubai, Yemen, Qatar, but the work familiar – marine Iraq, Jordon and Bahrain. We works for MAA Refinery, KNPC have worked and still working (Kuwait National Petroleum in tough conditions in Liberia. Corporation). We are also Casting my mind back to some hopeful of bagging two-three of these projects, I am quite more jobs overseas within next confident that Kuwait and three months. Bangladesh will be successful Every project, especially ventures too. overseas, brings with itself My heartiest congratulations to a bagful of challenges. Our those who have worked hard speciality, however, has always to bag the projects, and, best been to finish overseas projects wishes to those who have been on or before time. We have assigned to finish them. done it quite regularly in the past and will continue to do so in future. K Subrahmanian

DEsign: Amey Wagle

Editorial Board: S Paramasivan, Sandeep Desai, Bhakti Prasad, Krishnakumari C, Bivabasu Kumar

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special STORY

Pics: Bivabasu Kumar

Love in the hills And it’s not just the tough terrain, for decades with husband, Gulam Sangaldan’s prosperity is but the erstwhile terrorist attacks that Mohammad, eldest son, Manzur based on a relationship built makes this project one of the most Ahmad, who is employed with on reciprocity and affection, challenging jobs. While AFCONS has Northern Railways, youngest son writes Bivabasu Kumar quietly advanced in its mission, it’s the Altaf Hussain, who is working with locals on the hills, who have started AFCONS, and two daughters appreciating the company’s positive (both married). Originally farmers, n arduous six-hour drive impact on their lives over a period of Mahataba was rendered jobless after from through eight years. the Northern Railways acquired their the tangle of rocky and “AFCONS is providing us with many land (against compensation). The winding mountain roads facilities. We now have plenty of water family of six used to stay in a small hut. Ato Sangaldan can sap one’s energy. to drink, medical facility, transport in Though they had enough to fend off But the breeze over the hills and any kind of crisis… what else can we poverty, lack of activity and an accident the intermittent rain can make one’s ask for?” says Mahtaba Begum, who made her husband mentally unstable. journey to AFCONS’ Konkan Railway owns a small tea shop near one of It’s then when Mahtaba decided to Corporation Limited (KRCL) project the tunnels (Tunnel 44) in Dalwa (two start the tea shop which, today, gets site seem like a hide-and-seek game. kilometers from Sangaldan). healthy business from workers in AFCONS is almost finishing Mahtaba has been living there the area. construction of five BG single-line railway tunnels on the Katra-Laole section of the -- Rail Link (USBRL) project. The total length of the tunnels, including cut and cover, is approximately 8500m. The Sangaldan village (185 kilometers from Jammu), around which the tunnels are situated, is full of geological variations. The closeness between soft clay and foliated rock mass makes tunnelling in the area a daunting task. A new lease of life: Mahtaba Begum and her tea shop at Dalwa village

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Kids playing cricket at the Sangaldan Higher Secondary School ground; (right) A village near this tunnel site was washed out due to landslide

“Now, we have the tea shop and CHALLENGES & ACHIEVEMENTS my sons are working. By God’s grace and thanks to the company, we have 1. Transporting heavy machinery to site cover was less than 1D. sufficient to live happily. We don’t was a challenge as the old Dharamkund 5. Due to Muree Thrust, the entire rock have any regrets. We’ll pray that the Bridge could only withstand payloads of mass in the project area is deformed and company continues to work for locals 10 tonnes. thrust-affected. with such passion,” Mahtaba adds. 2. A magazine was constructed for stor- 6. The presence of nullahs and fresh Before AFCONS set base at age of explosives and a diesel pump was water springs led to water ingress inside Sangaldan, the nearest medical facility installed at site. tunnels sometimes to the tune of 1500li- was the district hospital at Ramban, 3. Cabinet approval was obtained for tres per minute. which is about 45 kilometres from quarry under forest land. It was the first 7. AFCONS logged a record progress of the region. Today, AFCONS provides time that the J&K government gave such 68m tunnelling in one month with perma- medical help to the locals from first aid permission considering the project’s nent steel supporting system and cycle to availing ambulance at any time of national importance. time of 18 hours in poor geology. the day. 4. In some areas tunnelling was safely 8. Thirty gantries were completed of 9m “Earlier, we had to walk for over two executed where the overburden/rock in one month which is a record. hours to reach Ramban. Now, in case of any emergency, we get ambulance or vehicular facility to reach the district buses from Ramban. The majority of the population hospital. The company restores road road connectivity has here are farmers, a connectivity after heavy rains or during made life much easier for small percentage have snowfall,” mentions Mahtaba. us,” says another local, government jobs and the Mohd Iqbal, who is medical Mohd Amin Bhat. kids study in Government assistant at the colony dispensary, Bhat started as a simple Middle Schools (upto is equally ebullient. “I was jobless villager. But, today, he has class eight), Primary after I completed my diploma in established himself as a Schools (upto class pharmacy. But after AFCONS came, reputed contractor in the By God’s grace five) or the Government they employed me and I have since region. “I started as partner and thanks to the Higher Secondary School then treated so many locals. It is more to another contractor at Sangaldan. Private satisfying that as a local I am being from Jammu for Tunnel company, we have academies have started able to help my own people,” he says. 40-41. This transition sufficient to live coming up recently There are around 300 to 400 families from a simple villager to happily. We don’t after the locals became in the Sangaldan region. Till six years an established contractor more aware about the back only two buses connected the from Sangaldan wouldn’t have any regrets.” importance of education. people of this region to Ramban. have been possible without “We now have free water, Mahtaba Begum, tea But after AFCONS came, the road AFCONS,” he says. shop owner at Dalwa ambulance on phone call, connectivity improved with wider According to Bhat, medicine etc. AFCONS roads, repair work and maintenance. there was no awareness is now like a second “We now have private vehicles on within the locals about home. Our interpersonal this route. Earlier, there were only two the outside world. The skills have improved after

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interacting with the engineers and In 2009, the nearby Dharam the seniors who come from other village was devastated by heavy cities,” Bhat explains. landslide. Though the government While the kids focus on studies, gave villagers land it was too they are extremely passionate rugged for habitation. AFCONS about cricket. Mushkoor Wani levelled the land and helped locals (18-years-old) is a Virat Kohli fan to set up their new abodes. and wants to play in the Indian In various other ways, the team some day. company has touched upon “I like batting and we regularly the lives of the people. In the play cricket in the school ground. Tattapani area, the AFCONS team

AFCONS is now like a second home. Our interpersonal skills have improved after interacting with the engineers and seniors who come from other cities.”

Mohd Amin Bhat, Local contractor from Jammu

We are inspired by Parvez Rasool,” helped with material for temple he says in between a cricket construction. At Sangaldan, the match at the Sangaldan Higher team assisted in infrastructure Secondary School ground. To development for Ramleela. They facilitate kids’ sporting activities, also set up a footway to the Mazar the company has refurbished a (Dargah) for locals. playground in a nearby school. With better roads and The Sangaldan market was development, the villages now wiped out by heavy rain and draw more attention from private subsequent landslide in 2006. vehicle operators. While the A HOMELY FEELING: Most kids from the villages go to AFCONS provided immediate locals have breathed a sigh of school but some help in farming from an early age too; shelter to the families. The relief, AFCONS continues to work (below) Villagers make use of the company ambulance company compensated the selflessly and with a silent prayer whenever a medical need arises villagers for their losses. on its lips.

PROFILE | Never Say Die Purushottam Patel

hen uncertainty and the gumption to fight it out & personal make this project one of its kind,” risk are high in a motivated his men to persist. agenda says Patel. He completed BE project with little going Many engineers left him, but the Birthday in civil engineering from Govt. W 23/09/1960 your way, the easiest solution ones who stayed back were the Engineering College, Jabalpur. is to say “I am done” & quit the actual go-getters. Place of Birth According to him, “trust” & project. But those who show Today the project is nearing Sagar (MP) “support” can move mountains. determination to grind it out are completion. But the tenacity the Favourite Music Likewise, it gave him the Old Hindi songs actual men of courage. team has shown over the years motivation to deal with several Purushottam Patel, who is the is an experience of a lifetime. Favourite colour teething problems at site. Sky blue project manager for the KRCL “I have a work experience Speaking about Patel, VC & Favourite food tunnelling project since 2006, of 30 years in hydro & North Indian MD, Mr K Subrahmanian said: has faced several challenges. underground sector. But veg food “Patel is a very good example The odds were not just confined the KRCL project is the most Best moment of a project manager who has to the difficult nature of the job, challenging job that I have in life demonstrated persistence, but the sheer risk to life at a handled so far. Remote nature of 50th wedding good people-management skills time when militancy was at its site, frequent road blocks, poor anniversary of and a never-say-die attitude in mom & dad peak in J&K. But he showed law and order, security threats a difficult environment.”

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Engineers Day Excellence” as the theme for this Celebration year’s celebration. Presentation News papers were submitted by various employees from site and head AFCONS-IRCON JV bags office, which were evaluated by Bangladesh Railway Project Mr AN Jangle, Mr RG Vartak, Mr AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, a R Giridhar & Mr Manivannan. Shapoorji Pallonji Group Company, in At head office, events like quiz a joint venture with competition, model making PSU, IRCON Limited, has signed a competition, paper presentations contract agreement with Bangladesh EDC initiative started in the year 2009 by winners were held. Group Railway for the work of a Railway discussion was a new event Bridge with approach rail lines. The Preparations for Engi- introduced this year. project, estimated to cost around ₹453 neers Day 2013 (Sept On the Engineers Day, final crore (BDT 567 crore), is expected to 15) began in the month rounds for quiz & group be completed in 30 months. of February in all proj- discussion were held. Also, there ects. The first EDC commit- was an exhibition where AFCONS bags `567cr tee formed by Mr R Giridhar (Di- Afconians displayed their talents marine job in Kuwait rector Technical) with committee in glass painting, sketches, members decided “Operational drawings, handicrafts, poems etc. AFCONS announces its entry into Kuwait with an offshore marine job for MAA Refinery, KNPC (Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation). Events MD’s rolling trophy AFCONS has bagged the ₹567crore job as subcontractor to M/S Daelim Commissioning of cable Industrial Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea. The crane at A cable crane spanning 915m was scope of work includes procurement & commissioned at Chenab Bridge Project construction of 1.2 km approach trestle by Shri Subodh Jain, member engineer- and a 355m x 37m loading platform ing, at Railway Board, on Aug 31, in and installation of material handling presence of Shri BD Garg, CAO/USBRL/ system, including ship loader, as part Northern Railway. The cable crane will JULY 12, 2013: MD’s rolling trophy for of the Sulphur Handling Facilities help in erecting the spanned arch and the “Best Annual HSE Performance” was pier. It is the world’s largest cable crane presented to CMRL – 05 site during the (revamp & new) project. The project and the whole set-up is a record in . second quarterly review meeting (QRM). will be completed in 28 months. life at afcons

As always, AFCONS kept its cultural side up with Janmashtami, Ganesh & Vishwakarma pooja celebrations. The Republic Day was also celebrated at most sites.

Ganesh Pooja at Jammu Vishwakarma Pooja at Independence Day celebration in Liberia Janmashtami celebration at KRCL RVNL, Kolkata

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CSR

IT boost for St. Wheels of Change Catherine’s Home AFCONS’ social responsi- a unique way to educate The IT department has kept bility is spread across sev- people about the dreaded AFCONS’ CSR mast flying eral realms. So, when the disease - he is trotting the by donating computers to team in Bahrain, for the globe on a bicycle for his St. Catherine’s Home, an or- Mina Salman Interchange cause and doing seminars phanage in Andheri, Mumbai. project, got a call from the on Indian culture. St Catherine’s has proved to Indian embassy about AFCONS and Shapoorji be a gateway to better life for Mr Somen Debnath who Pallonji together hailed destitutes and children who is on a mission to spread Mr Debnath’s daring effort are abused at a tender age. HIV/AIDS awareness and supported his mis- AFCONS’ contribution is a globally, our team quickly sion with a small donation miniscule role in an overall set up a meeting. during the meeting. development process of the There are various Mr Debnath has appre- kids who are groomed for a mediums of spreading ciated the group initiative respectable future. We wish HIV/AIDS awareness. But to support his efforts. them all the best in life. Mr Debnath has chosen We wish him all the best. hr corner

introduction about prevailing taxes & benefits available to the Oil & Gas sector under various statutes. They were also informed about current litigation/issues on applicability of VAT on offshore projects beyond 12 nautical miles.

First Time Manager Training Programme A First Time Manager Training Programme was organised at HO First Time Manager Training Programme held at AFCONS House, in Mumbai, from Sept 30 - Oct 1 from Sept 30 to Oct 1. The two-day programme is designed for employees Behaviour-based was scheduled at HO for various promoted to managerial position. It Safety Workshop departments from August to October. develops their knowledge & skills to A session was arranged at HO on It focuses on employees’ wellbeing manage individuals and teams. August 21 for the senior management. across four dimensions of wellness The training was conducted by Mr The objective was to help employees (Physical, Emotional, Mental & Nimesh Rathod. On the final day, an identify, assess & control foreseeable Spiritual). interactive session was conducted hazards that may result due to their Topics covered: by Dy Managing Director, Mr S unsafe actions/at risk behaviours. The 1. Introduction to the four dimensions Paramasivan. He addressed the training was conducted by Mr Ramesh of Wellness participants on the company’s growth Grover (Dir-Quality Growth Services). 2. Formation of Mind and goals. 3. Wellness Assessment & Wellness Problem Solving & Decision Action plan Trainee Induction 2013 Making Workshop The Trainee Induction Programme is A one-day workshop was organised Tax Planning for Onshore, designed for fresh campus recruits to for CMRL employees on August 21-22. Offshore Tenders – Oil & Gas enable them to understand various It aimed at enabling participants to A one-day session on Tax Planning construction activities & terminologies. approach & solve problems objectively. for Onshore, Offshore Tenders – Oil The objective is to provide participants & Gas was organised at HO on Sept awareness/orientation of various Whole Wellness 17. The session was conducted by Mr functions. A total of 80 Post Graduate/ Model Programme Rakesh Sharma – AGM (Taxation). Graduate/Diploma trainees were taken The Whole Wellness Model training The participants were given a brief through this phase-one journey.

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Engineers DAy Celebration: (from left to right, clockwise) Mr RG Vartak lights the lamp to start Engineers Day celebrations at AFCONS House; Engineers Day celebration at CMRL & DMRC sites; Jayaram Reddi & Prathamesh Patil, winners of the model-making competition at head office; Celebration at Bahrain, Rohtang & Liberia sites.

An ISO 9001:2008 Company AFCONS Infrastructure Limited: AFCONS House, 16, Shah Industrial Estate, Veera Desai Road, Azadnagar, Andheri (West), Mumbai - 400 053, India Tel : +91-22-6719 1000 Fax No : +91-22-2673 0047/ 2673 0026 www.afcons.com

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