A CATALYST OF CHANGE.

We are humbled to leave footprints across India that helps the nation in its long strides.

India witnessed a watershed moment on October 3, 2020. With the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, inaugurating Atal Tunnel, Rohtang, India officially became home to the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet. Besides being an undisputed engineering marvel in the Himalayas, this remarkable tunnel is an important step towards boosting infrastructure along the country's border as affirmed by the Prime Minister himself.

Constructed by Strabag-Afcons joint venture, Atal Tunnel provides safe passage for people and goods round the year. It comes with a promise of significant socio-economic progress for the people of Lahaul and Spiti allowing scope for movement even in the winter months. The tunnel reduces distance between Manali and Lahaul-Spiti by 46 km and travel time by five hours. It also ensures the movement of Indian Army is not disrupted due to the closure of Rohtang Pass in winters.

This is just an example of Afcons acting as a catalyst of change for a region. Over six decades, the ShapoorjiPallonji group company has contributed significantly towards nation building with key infrastructure projects. Afcons has constructed engineering marvels across India, and in various geographies globally, which have developed regions and transformed lives. Creating infrastructure is much more than constructing a bridge, or, carving a road - it is also about enhancing lives and fulfilling dreams of people, and, eventually a nation.

The 302-km six-lane Agra-Lucknow Expressway, of which Afcons built 126 kms, is India's longest access-controlled expressway. The expressway has connected hundreds of remote villages in Uttar Pradesh, helped decongest important National Highways such as NH-2, NH-91 and reduced commute time. Afcons completed this structure-intensive project in less than 24 months. Completing this mega project before schedule not only allowed Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) to open it for traffic early but also ushered in economic growth in the state.

Afcons's reputation in highway construction goes back in time. In Jammu and Kashmir where Afcons has been operating for over a decade, it has constructed the country's fastest hill-road project in the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) history. The 64-km Jammu-Udhampur highway reduces travel time between the two cities from two-and-a-half hours to just 45 minutes. Despite several challenges, Afcons delivered the project ahead of schedule.

Afcons is significantly contributing in developing J&K and improving its connectivity with the mainland. We're working on several critical railway tunnels and bridges and the iconic Chenab Railway Bridge for the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. The Chenab Railway Bridge, which will be the world's highest single-arch railway bridge, and 35m taller than the Eiffel Tower upon completion, is a unique example in extreme engineering.

Afcons also has the distinction of constructing several of India's 'firsts'. We are the first Indian company to install an off-shore process platform using float-over technology on time. We built India's first Multi-Modal Terminal, at Varanasi, for the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) to boost inland waterways. Similarly, Afcons has constructed India's longest jetty and largest container terminal (Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals) at Mumbai's Jawaharlal Nehru Port. 

In Metro rail segment, where Afcons has evolved as a leader, it has delivered several landmarks like the country's first underwater tunnels and the deepest Metro station in Kolkata, one of the country's largest underground multi-level interchange stations in Chennai, India's longest double-decker metro corridor in Nagpur etc. 

Another recent milestone has been the renovation and inauguration of the western flank of Bihar's Mahatma Gandhi Setu. It is the first bridge in the country where the weakening concrete superstructure is being replaced with a steel deck superstructure keeping the substructure intact. Such a project has never been envisaged by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), or, any state government before.

Through innovation, value engineering and self-reliance, Afcons has always inspired confidence in its customers, associates, and, all other stakeholders. We are humbled to leave footprints across India that helps the nation in its long strides.

The Author

S Paramasivan is the Managing Director of Afcons Infrastructure. He has the P&L responsibility for the company and all its subsidiaries/associates of Afcons Infrastructure. He is associated with the company since 2002 and is the Whole Time Director on the Board of the company since then. He has a rich experience of over 35 years spanning across segments like Banking and Finance, Commercial and Administration and Business Development apart from Operations. He was a member of Banking & Finance Committee of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was in its core group. He is currently a member of Taxation Committee of CII and a Member of Infrastructure Committee of FICCI & CII.

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