Sustainable Infrastructure

Subhash Sethi,
Chairman,
SPML Infra Ltd.

“We engage services of about 80-100 people every year”
SPML Infra Ltd is a infrastructure development company with focus on sustainable development for smart cities, promoting access to essential services to all (water, sanitation, and municipal solid waste management). With over 3 decades of experience and pan India presence, it has executed more than 600 turnkey projects and created significant value for the country, thus touching the lives of millions of people with provision of drinking water facilities, wastewater treatment, integrated sewerage network, better municipal waste management, power transmission and distribution and lighting up homes. Currently SPML is developing infrastructure projects worth USD 900 million and provides drinking water facilities to more than 40 million Indian populations through various projects.

“SPML Infra is among the World's Top 50 Private Water Companies as per the research conducted by Global Water Intelligence, London. SPML Infra has been continuously featuring for the past 6 years in the bi-annual survey of world water companies,” claims Subhash Sethi, Chairman, SPML
Infra Ltd.

Employment generation
Sharing views on employment generation Sethi says, “There are about approximately 1,000 employees' curre­ntly in India and internationally. We engage services of about 80-100 people every year for our various projects. SPML Infra has good number of women employees in its role including key positions in several departments.”

Payroll on direct/indirect basis
SPML Infra has approximately 1,000 professionals (engineering, technology and management) and approximately 80 per cent of the SPML's employees have been associated with the company for more than five years. There are hundreds of indirect people engaged by the company for its various project execution activities.

Training to be up-to-date
With the advent of modern technology and digitisation of systems, technical and managerial competence is critical towards ensuring timely execution of projects and optimum performance upon commissioning. “SPML provides training to ensure employees stay up-to-date, motivated and productive with relevant training and development programs on a regular basis. Professionals and engineers at office and project sites are trained for new technological advancement in engineering design, IT and IoT initiatives and modern machineries and equipment being used,” explains Sethi.

How are you returning back to the society?
At SPML, social responsibility has been the basis of success right from its inception. “Our approach has been to make enduring social impact through programs that build sustainability,” states Sethi.
SPML Infra has defined its core values - Care, Passion, Awareness and Improvement - to guide in all segments it caters. As a constructive partner in the communities in which it operates, SPML has been doing real works to realise its social responsibility objectives, thereby building value for its clients and employees. Indicative list of Community oriented programs are as under:
• Beti Bachao: campaign started in 2010 in Delhi has spread to several cities in India; mass media campaign has been done in Haryana and Rajasthan to educate the people about the girl child. It has helped community to understand the importance of girl child, their education and healthy upbringing.

• Free Limb Distribution: program started after the inception of the company in 1981 and is continuing. Several camps are organised every year in different cities to distribute free artificial limbs to the needy to overcome their challenges.

• Eye care and Health Camp: is being organised every quarter, in the past 5 years, more than 5000 people have been provided with free health and eye check-up facilities and medicines, spectacles etc. and more than 500 people have got their vision back after free cataract surgery organized by the company.

• Public Awareness Programme: on water, sanitation and environmental conservation with outdoor campaign; environmental awareness programs for resident welfare associations, waste collectors and handlers; regular environmental awareness programs for school students and residents.

• Swacch Bharat Abhiyan: organi­sed by SPML Infra in Delhi's important market areas and residential colonies to spread the awareness about the importance of cleanliness.

• Social Advertisements for Water and Environment Conservation: SPML believes in “save water is found water”, and to spread this message, regular outdoor and mass media campaigns on “Save Water” and “Conserve Water” is running across Delhi and other cities, a number of hoardings, boards, message boards, bulletins with the messages are put up regularly.

• “Tree Plantation for Water and Environment Conservation” - SPML Infra believes in “save environment - plant trees”, and to spread this message, regular tree plantation is being done at project sites across the country.
SPML Infra has always been touching the lives of millions of people positively by supporting environmental and health-care projects and social, cultural and educational programs.
Besides focusing primarily on the welfare of economically and socially deprived sections of society, SPML also aims at providing economically viable and environment-friendly services for the benefit of millions of people across the nation, while at the same time ensuring the highest standards of safety and environment protection in its operations.

Integrated Management Information System
SPML Infra has indigenously developed an Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) for smart management of water utilities. A powerful enterprise management system designed to meet day to day operations of water distribution utilities, seamlessly manages the entire gamut of services. This is the only system designed specifically as per the working conditions of the Indian water utilities and consumers. Going forward with the development of smart city, this integrated system will be essential for smart operation of water supply and distribution management in the cities.

• SPML has integrated competencies across depth engineering, process technology, project management and resource management to carve out a distinctive identity in its sphere.

• SPML has integrated its processes by installing SAP and thereby allowed itself to become more transparent, reduce delays and hasten project execution.

• The Company developed SPML Aqua, an integrated management information system designed to address day-to-day water distribution issues, across geographies.

• SPML Infra has helped in significantly reducing non-revenue water under UFW Project in Bengaluru by using innovative technology of helium leak detection to accurately identify and locate hidden leaks in large and small pipes, the NRW reduced significantly from 61 percent at the beginning of the project to 33 percent thus saving 16.5 million litres of drinking water per day. From the 16.5 million litres of water saved by this water loss management project, the government of Karnataka has implemented a scheme to provide 10,000 litres free water each month to every household with regularised connection to the economically poor, SC and ST families.

What are the changing trends in the infrastructure development in India?
India is witnessing a sustained growth in infrastructure buildup powered by increased expenditures on housing, roads, ports, water supply, railways and airport development. Infrastructure projects continue to provide lucrative opportunities for steel, zinc and aluminum producers. With the government approving private sector participation in the bidding process, the sectoral efficiency is expected to increase and promote healthy competition. “India's infrastructure sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.1 per cent between 2016 and 2021,” says Sethi.

Eco-friendliness is driving infra­struc­ture sector such as renewable, urban water and gas distribution, transportation, and power transmission system. Other new areas include solid and liquid waste disposal and waste-to-energy projects combined with the planned 100 smart cities. The transportation system has under gone change with autonomous vehicles set to radically transform surface transport. India is already mulling regulations to allow testing of the technology. This will lead to a sea change in how roads are built for cars requiring lesser space and greater speed and the intense use of sensors and IT systems.

He adds, “Having executed 600 plus infrastructure projects in the power, water, irrigation and wastewater treatment segments over the past three decades, SPML Infra is attractively placed to bag large and complex projects across India.”

“We have 1400 employees”
At KEF Infra is bridging the gap in access to quality infrastructure by relooking at the way the world builds, and creating a model that will deliver quality and sustainable infrastructure faster than ever before. Founded in India in 2014 by successful entrepreneur Faizal E Kottikollon, Founder and Chairman of KEF Infra and KEF Holdings, it is a technology-driven company, and pioneers in end-to-end offsite manufacturing in the country. “In a short span of three years, we have demonstrated our ability to bring world-class proficiency in design, engineering, manufacturing, assembly and project management all under one roof,” says Kottikollon.

He adds, “We are transforming the way buildings and basic services are created and delivered in India. KEF Infra is paving the path for Industry 4.0 by integrating world-class technology with software solutions such as BIM (Building Information Modelling) thus significantly reducing costs and increasing efficiencies in infrastructure development.”

“Our KEF Infra One Industrial Park in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, is the world's largest and most integrated offsite manufacturing facility,” he states. It is spread over 42 acres and features cutting edge manufacturing units for precast, Prefabricated Pods and Modular MEP, Joinery and Fit -Outs and Aluminium and Glazing. At KEF Infra One- it is manufacturing hospitals, schools, hotels, homes and commercial buildings faster than ever before.

In 2017, KEF Infra delivered the 400,000 sq. ft. Meitra Hospital (500 Beds in two phases; 209 completed) in Kerala, within a record time of 18 months, and manufactured 175 public canteens and 20 kitchens as part of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's Indira Canteens Project, in Karnataka. In addition, we handed over the Embassy 7B project, a 1.7 million sq. ft. commercial building for the Embassy Group, which was completed in 13.5 months, in Bengaluru and Infosys Building Phase 2 in Bengaluru which is a 500,000 sq. ft. building completed in 15 Months.
Currently, KEF Infra is executing a 1 million sq. ft. college hospital for KMCH in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, phase 2 of manufacturing 262 Indira Canteens cum kitchen across Karnataka and a 2 million sq. ft. mall for Lulu in Lucknow. The firm has also signed on GKNM hospitals in Coimbatore as a client.

Employee generation
Briefing on the number of employees currently we have 1400, and for the last three year numbers are 400 in 2015, 850 in 2016 and 1200 in 2017.

Payroll on direct/indirect basis
Briefing on the pay role Kottikollon says, “Our total staff count is 2,000 employees, 1400 permanent 70 per cent direct staff, 600 contract workers 30 per cent of our workforce is contractual /indirect.”

Skilling activites
Training is provided at KEF through internal experts and external trainers. Training is provided in the following fields equipment training, technical training, process training, HSE training, quality training and technology excellence training.
In addition Kottikollon said in 2017 key statistics were 35 training sessions conducted, 1330 hours of training conducted (split between offsite and onsite), 1050 Employees attended the varied training sessions conducted.

Faizal and Shabana Foundation
KEF Infra's social responsibility initiatives come under KEF'S Global Initiatives which are led by the Faizal and Shabana Foundation.

Driven by the vision of – Giving to Create Impact, the Faizal and Shabana Foundation has worked in six critical areas of development: Education and youth development, healthcare and wellness support, regenerative sustainable development, humanitarian aid and assistance; community outreach and support; and art and culture development. Under this the foundation has covered programmes such as PRISM (Promoting Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Interventions) in collaboration with the Government of Kerala; Research Support Program for Manipal University. The foundation has also adopted a whole panchayat covering over 1,500 families in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu which is close to the “KEF Infra Factory and introduced a village intervention model to create sustainable development through the Krishnagiri Village Development Program.

Technologies adoption
Informing about the technology Kottikollon says, “We are pioneers in implementing BIM (Building Information Modelling) thus significantly reducing costs and increasing efficiencies in infrastructure development.”
The company uses building information modeling (BIM) to virtually design, plan and assemble any building before its start on site. The company virtually construct the whole project by creating a detailed 4d simulation of all the activities that helps in planning a comprehensive coordinated process to avoid problems on site minimising both cost and time on a project.

What are the changing trends in the Precast segment in India?
“Precast is just one part of offsite manufacturing. At KEF we are pioneers in offsite manufacturing which means we can manufacture buildings-end-to-end at our factory and deliver it at site which includes, precast elements, modular MEP and bathroom pods, joinery products and aluminium glazing. We can build entire rooms and deliver them at site. Each aspect of the process is mapped out using BIM Building Information Modelling) thus significantly reducing costs and increasing efficiencies in infrastructure development,” said Kottikollon while briefing about the changing trends in precast segment.

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