Jagdish Kadam, Chairman & Managing Director, Raj Path InfraCon shares details with MOTORINDIA about striving to create a world record for the longest road constructed in 24 hours, his company operations, and his fruitful association with Tata Motors.
With the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction and infrastructure Industry in India suffered a setback after an otherwise promising revival in the last quarter of FY21. Data suggests that the real estate sector has suffered most of the brunt, while urban infrastructure and development have largely remained shielded. Regardless, anticipating this to be a temporary disruption, with the Investment Information & Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) retaining its 15-20% growth estimate for the industry for FY22. The centre has also continued to extend the sustained focus on fostering infrastructural development, with the Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announcing in May 2021 the Government’s target of road construction worth Rs. 15 lakh Crores (US$ 206 Billion) in the next two years.
One such major player in the Industry, remaining firmly aligned and committed to nation-building is Raj Path InfraCon. Since its establishment in 1988, the company has made significant contributions to major infrastructural projects in the country, working with prominent clients. In 2006, it built a 148km stretch for the Mula Canal, under a joint initiative between World Bank and the Maharashtra Water Resource Department, receiving recognition from World Bank for the efforts. In 2016, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) felicitated the company with a certificate of excellence for completing the construction of the critical Nagpur-Hyderabad highway project.
Recently, Raj Path InfraCon made headlines for attempting to set a world record, while the results are awaited, constructing a 39.7km road in the Satara district of Maharashtra in under 24 hours. Commenting on this feat, Jagdish Kadam, Chairman & Managing Director, Raj Path Infracon, said, “The idea of trying to set this world record was born out of our challenging circumstances. At the peak of the second wave, there was widespread fear and anxiety across sectors. We thought achieving this could perhaps send a positive message within the road construction industry, reinforcing the value of dedication and goodwill.” He further added, “As you can imagine, this Herculean task required a very reliable and efficient fleet of tippers, coupled with service teams that could help us out with any challenges that arose promptly.” A total of 250 vehicles were used for this task, with a majority of the fleet being Tata Motors Tipper Trucks.
Reflecting on his association with Tata Motors, Kadam said, “Our partnership with Tata Motors is over 30 years old. From the very beginning, we strived to deliver quality work for assigned projects well within the stipulated time, and understandably, having a strong, robust fleet was crucial in facilitating efficiency.” Currently, the company’s fleet consists of Tata LPK 2523, Tata LPK 2518 and Tata Signa 2825.K tippers.
For building the world record-long road between Pusegaon and Mhasurne, Raj Path InfraCon needed to take into account a range of challenges in the planning phase. Besides taking care of the hygiene and safety of all staff involved and the unpredictable climate during monsoon, managing logistics, including the smooth movement of materials from the plants to the actual site (ranging from 7 to 108 km) was imperative. A reliable fleet with Tata vehicles particularly helped in this regard. Kadam noted, “We deployed most of the Tata BS6 Tippers on our longest 108 km lead route, and our drivers successfully made 3 full trips (to and fro) in 24 hours.” These vehicles offer superior driving comfort and functional features such as engine brake and Hill-Start Assist (HSA) that boost turnaround time and efficiency.
Further, the company instituted a think tank consisting of the Managing Director, Project Directors, General Managers and Engineering teams to guide and monitor progress. “Before the task began,” noted Kadam, “a Tata Motors service team, consisting of 4 highly qualified engineers, arrived well in advance and inspected each Tata tipper thoroughly. These vehicles performed splendidly during the effort.” Kadam added, “In particular, I think the Tata BS6 vehicles substantially augmented our operational efficiency.”
“To ensure the smoothening of any hiccups during the task” continued Kadam, “we also stationed quick response teams at regular junctures, along with a breakdown task force, and we received proactive support from the Tata Motors team in this regard too.”
Speaking of his overall engagement with Tata Motors, Kadam also highlighted the value of the regular skilling and training programs undertaken by Tata Motors for drivers. Its range of benefits under the Tata Samarth program has also been especially helpful for their drivers and their families.
“We can always count on Tata Motors”, said Kadam. “As Raj Path InfraCon continues on its journey to help build our prestigious nation, we hope to continue our fruitful association, standing by each other as we scale new heights and set newer benchmarks in the years to come”. While the infrastructure industry within India at large continues in its endeavour to fulfil the government’s vision of bringing forth urban development, pioneers like Raj Path InfraCon will play a decisive role in bringing this vision to fruition.
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“Our association with Raj Path InfraCon has remained resilient for over three decades, and we have persistently delivered superior products and dedicated services while gaining invaluable industry insights that have inspired us to keep improving at our end in line with the changing customer expectations. Our products offer superior value and profitability for our customers, driven by superior productivity and durability with industry-best and lowest operation costs. Tata Motors, as always, placing the customer at the centre of all our endeavours, firmly believes and supports Raj Path Infracon’s productive ventures and landmark achievements. We hope to continue our alliance, powering them with our best-in-class products & services, as they continue to make a mark in the Industry.
– V Seethapathi, Vice President, Product Line – M&HCV, Tata Motors