We are redefining an evolutionary mission to setting new benchmarks of resource utilization and efficiency.

Trupti Nayak
COO, Rajpath Infracon Pvt Ltd

How is the company playing a major role in the development of India’s road infrastructure?

Rajpath Infracon has been around for 36 years, it has been there, done that. The company has watched policies, regulations, procedures and mandates cultivate, revise, and develop over the years. The company has metamorphosed too, executing and implementing these norms with full compliances every time, exploring, learning and abiding to the various models from BOT to the HAM of the present day. Many projects were taken up as a challenge, and COD (project completion) was received in time. This became something of a reputation for Rajpath Infracon in the middle ages!  It survived through the deathly months of Covid19 to break the shackles of fear and depression, by making its first world record of paving the longest distance of 36.691 km bituminous concrete road at the peak of the pandemic, in May 2021. This feat encouraged and inspired many infrastructure companies in this dark period, offering not just hope but courage, to pick back their tools. It turned out something like a miracle booster for the road infrastructure sector.

Followed by this, the march continued. The first ever Guinness World Record in the history of Indian infrastructure was pegged in June 2022 with continuously laying bituminous concrete road of 42.200 km double lane in 105 hours & 33 min at Amravati district in State of Maharashtra, India. This extraordinary feat caught the attention of an unbelievable 80 lakh plus people from 17 countries round the world. It rocked the global infrastructure sphere, and eyeballs began looking at the amazing things like impeccable road quality and speed of paving, that Indian infrastructure companies could deliver. It challenged other companies to vie for bigger things like highest quality, largest quantum with other materials like PQC (Pavement Quality Concrete) roads or those made with RAP (Recycled Asphalt Pavement). In a nutshell, the unprecedented effort Rajpath Infracon invested in accomplishing a Guinness World Record nourished and encouraged many capable road construction companies as well as equipment OEMs to come forth, and offer better than their best, of not just quality or speed, but technology and innovation too!

The result is an acknowledgement and appreciation each year form MoRTH, in the form of the prestigious Excellence Awards that honours such inspirational accomplishments and encourage other contending companies to come ahead, to contribute to the infrastructure development of our Nation.

Which are the latest and upcoming projects of the company?

Rajpath is committed to maintaining the several HAM projects that it has completed two years back. That is an on-going activity that demands a lot of energy, attention and slick execution. Besides this our present focus is on the greenfield project of two consecutive packages in Andhra Pradesh for 6-laning of access-controlled NH 544G, in the Bangalore-Vijayawada economic corridor, under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. A few more projects are slated to formally open in due course of time. Rajpath has a policy to not bite more than it can chew, hence every project is well evaluated, planned for and executed before time.

Besides national and state highway construction projects, our projects at multiple locations in the irrigation sector, are making a mark of their own. Barrages, dams, canals including those of developing PDN (pipe distribution network) fuel us with their challenges and keep us ahead of the game.

We have adopted an evolved process, strategy and execution methodology notching up our efficiency standards each day and are happy about the fact that the authorities have expressed satisfaction on our work, quality and progress. It is indeed a big reinforcement to the confidence of our team working in challenging conditions. 

How do you look forward to the emerging opportunities in roads and highways sector?

India in this moment of time, is standing on the threshold of unearthing huge treasure trove of opportunities for the infrastructure sector as a whole. Under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) India has a massive investment budget of $1.4 trillion on infrastructure - 24% on renewable energy, 18% on roads & highways, 17% on urban infrastructure, and 12% on railways. Lack of robust infrastructure is often recognised as the primary growth constraint for a developing nation. In India, the government is increasingly looking towards the private sector for forging mutually beneficial partnerships. It is a well-known fact and figure known now, that to achieve seamless working and productivity in other business sectors and India's ambitious goal to be a $5 trillion economy by 2025, strong infrastructure growth is essential. Hence there will be no dearth of opportunities to bag, depending on the strength and stability of the handles.

At Rajpath Infracon, we look at this dynamic transformation with cautious enthusiasm. We have been around for 36 years, stable with an A- CRISIL rating, that endorses for a lot of things we have succeeded in retaining consistently. We are gearing up to execute technologically smart projects rather than opt for high quantum jobs. We are collaborating with stalwarts of innovation and technology like the IITs and working closely with SVNIT that gives our knowledge, skill and expertise an extra edge. We are considering challenging opportunities like the on-going green field project of NH 544G, we have taken up at present in Andhra Pradesh, where our contribution will make a difference.

We are testing the waters with renewable energy to work in tandem with our state and national highway projects, as that counts under infrastructure development too. Besides the prospect of saving on conventional energy and its sources, this agenda also aligns well with our green initiative and decarbonization motive toward energy transition and larger net-zero objectives.

We believe that emerging opportunities in roads construction sector, also include many other developmental projects that would truly elevate the socio-economic condition of the regions. Initiatives like rain water harvesting and rejuvenation of water resources and water tables with construction of farm ponds along the way, developing a green forest cover for the ecosystem balance, and CSR projects to provide resources for the local communities to thrive and prosper, will open myriads of secondary opportunities that the local population can benefit from.

What is your Mission 2025 for the company?

Rajpath Infracon aims at enhancing its capabilities further in terms of infrastructure, know-how and experience with technological advancements that are being tried, approved and tested by the NHAI. That is need of the times that will fuel our sustenance and facilitate us last the marathon. Our growth curve has been remarkably steep since 2019, and everything that comes with it is in a state of constant flux. We have hence had to be equipped, to able to cope up with this scenario of constant change.

Various road projects are coming up with newer requirements, especially when the maintenance period is redefined for 15 years now. We are hence redefining an evolutionary mission to setting new benchmarks of resource utilization and efficiency, along with developing expert and cognizant manpower for the infra construction industry. Needless to mention our initiatives would be aligned to the national agenda of Gati Shakti and Bharatmala Pariyojana.