New projects will play a key role in the revival of the economy.

It may be fruitful to include technological requirements in the tender document to increase advanced technology adoption.

Puneet Vidyarthy, Brand Leader, CASE India

What is your take on rebooting the activities in the road sector is so important?

The infrastructure and construction sector has the ability to induce a multiplier effect on the economy. It can provide gainful employment to a large number of people and negate the impact of reverse migration of labours. Projects in these segments will fuel demand in other sectors including construction equipment, logistics, cement, NBFCs, etc and consequently push the manufacturing cycle which will have a cascading effect on the entire economy. The government has already announced several packages which will double the pace on project distribution and construction which will add to more demand generation and thus play a key role in the revival of the economy.

How do you assess the initiatives from the government / NHAI specifically?

The government is trying its best to secure people's lives and at the same time maintain stability in the market. Recent announcements by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Transport and Highways, have reassured that the infrastructure sector will not slow down. On the other hand, to reduce build-up of arbitration cases NHAI has asked its project managers to cancel portions of the proposed contracts in case of hurdles in the land acquisition process. It remains to be seen how these measures impact the recovery but we are confident that the government will continue to take corrective measures to bolster the market situation and the CE sector, further.

As a service provider (equipment supplier to road projects) what are the major constraints in today's context?  

Covid 19 has not only affected different businesses worldwide, it has affected multiple aspects of a business such as manufacturing, supply chain, sales, delivery etc. as well. Currently, there are constraints and uncertainties in every aspect and each needs to be redressed individually with a lens of safety and precaution. For instance, to make the best of the current situation, our plants are currently working at reduced capacity to follow social distancing norms. All our employees and dealers are working from home and connecting with each other via multiple digital platforms. We are also engaging with our customers online. Technology has been a great enabler in these times and it has helped ease out communication with multiple stakeholders. We are hopeful that with time the situation will ease out and we will be working on the same rhythm again.  

What is the scope and potential of leveraging the edge of digital tools in the entire eco-system of road sector? 

In the current situation where social distancing is the new normal, there is a lot of potential in the adoption and usage of digital tools. OEMs are looking forward to incorporate advanced technologies and automation in their processes, machines and customer interaction platforms. CASE has always been a technology first brand. Our machines come equipped with a multitude of smart features such as an eagle eye telematics system with a geo fencing feature which helps control and monitor the machine.

Can there be a mechanism that such technologies are specified in tender document?

It may be fruitful to include technological requirements in the tender document to increase adoption. However, this should be done in a phased manner, since this will require a lot of critical support in terms of availability, finance, and trust amongst the officials involved.

It can be difficult to change the mindset of people towards adoption of new technologies because of the adequate efficiency and familiarity with past methods of working. In such cases, incentivising adoption may prove to be a useful method as well.

Hits: 84