Infrastructure Quarterly

Professor Chandan Chowdhury, Executive Director, PLIIM

Our Vision & Mission

Punj Lloyd Institute of Infrastructure Management (PLIIM) is established within the Indian School of Business as a specialist Institute to support its Infrastructure agenda. The Punj Lloyd Institute of Infrastructure Management seeks to help create top quality management capacity for the Infrastructure and Real Estate Sectors.

Vision

To create high-quality leadership and management capacity for the infrastructure and real estate sectors and create an understanding of the sustainability dimensions impacting the sectors, by delivering quality education, contextual research, and continuous outreach.

Mission
  • Create top-quality educational and training programmes
  • Facilitate learning through online programmes
  • Undertake research that is contextual to the Indian and developing country context
  • Develop tools and decision support systems to support the infrastructure practice
  • Undertake continuous outreach to support the sector
  • Serve as a "Go to" place for the infrastructure sector in India and abroad.

The Punj Lloyd Institute undertakes various initiatives to guide the infrastructure sector toward efficient and sustainable development through research initiatives, knowledge-sharing events, and training public officials and industry professionals. To meet its vision, the institute works closely with corporates in three verticals, Education, Outreach, and Research.

Education

AMPI: Co2024

Students with Prof Chandan Chowdhury

  • The fourth term of the Co2024 was successfully completed from March 2, 2024, to March 10, 2024
  • There were numerous speaker sessions during the residency​.
  • The students studied core subjects related to infrastructure during the residency and made final presentations of their action learning projects.

Research

A Decade of Infrastructure Development in India: Trends and Insights

The institute has conducted a detailed study on India’s infrastructure sector. A double-pronged approach was used for analysis using secondary data.

  • Firstly, a study of the available literature on the performance of the Indian infrastructure sector is done.
  • Secondly, we conduct a financial analysis of the companies in the infrastructure sector in India using the database from Captial IQ.

We examined the past performance(decade) of the infrastructure sector in India to get insights regarding market trends, past performance, major challenges, and recommendations. We are working on a book to be released on “A Decade of Infrastructure Development In India: Trends and Insights.” This initiative is of national importance and will offer an assessment of the country's infrastructure.

Action Learning Projects

Accelerating Growth of Infrastructure in India: Role of InvITs & REITs
Synopsis:

India is the fastest-growing major economy in the world and home to the world’s largest population. Robust infrastructure is the backbone of any economy and acts as a vehicle of growth. Large Infrastructure projects such as roads, highways, power plants, ports, and townships, along with real estate sectors have witnessed growing demand for capital in recent times. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) are instruments to raise public money. These instruments address the needs of investors and corporations. Investors get the diversification of their portfolio with regular income whereas corporations get access to large public funds. This ALP intends to study REITs & InvITs model in the Indian context and investors' behaviour and response to take part in the investment cycle to boost the growth of Infrastructure in India.

A Strategic Approach for a Green Data Centre
Synopsis:

In 2022 the number of the data centre is 138 with a power consumption of 637 MW. This is projected to grow to 812 data centres that will consume 5000 MW. Daily CO2 emissions of a 40 MW data centre is 480,000 kg CO2/day, which is significantly higher than the daily CO2 emissions of a typical passenger car (23 kg CO2/day). Data centres can switch to clean and renewable energy alternatives to reach the net zero goals of India and the world. Power generated by solar energy, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, tidal, and fuel cells can reduce the CO2 emissions of a data centre. The intermittent nature of the availability of these alternative sources of energy needs storage solutions. One such solution is thermal batteries. Chemical batteries have some drawbacks such as limited energy density, slow recharge times, degradation and limited life span, and negative environmental impact. This ALP focuses on evaluating green initiatives and technologies such as thermal batteries, energy optimization strategies, cost analysis and return on investment (ROI), and recommendations for implementing energy-saving measures in the design of a green data centre.

Strategies for Sustainable Operations of MRTS in India
Synopsis:

A large number of metro rail corporations are operating in red. Some significant strategies are required for sustainability. The reasons for losses are twofold: (1) High cost of operations, and (2) Revenue shortfall. This ALP's scope is limited to metro railway corporations in India. The primary data will be collected by visits to Delhi Metro Rail, Noida Metro Rail, Hyderabad Metro, etc. The secondary data will be collected from the annual reports of metro railway organizations across the world, the World Economic Forum, and the World Bank Data. A Pareto analysis of costs will be used to examine the operational costs and revenue streams. A set of recommendations related to cost reduction (cost reduction, use of renewable energy, automation with AI) and revenue increase (community EV facility, licenses to commercial complexes) will be proposed. Financial analysis of solutions (cost-benefit analysis, payback period, return on investment (ROI), and social cost-benefit analysis) will be presented.

Appraising the Value Proposition of Green Communities
Synopsis:

Within the Indian infrastructure space, the adoption of green tech within the commercial and office space is high. However, the same cannot be said for the residential sector, which forms more than 75% of the real estate within India. This ALP develops a business case for the adoption of green technology and methods by end customers within the residential townships. Our research and analysis will include value benefit analysis, financial analysis, review of construction methods, and existing models. Through this exercise, a survey of the existing green infrastructure space will be done, and an analysis based on several metrics. In addition, we will recommend steps and measures to further improve the business case of green infrastructure within the Indian real estate context. This objective is to increase adoption by end users through the presentation of our analysis and findings. The target recipients of the findings of this research will be the end retail customers and the real estate companies.

Outreach

Session on How to Transform into an Infrastructure Leader: Know more from the AMPI alumni.

Our AMPI alumni, Mr. Manas Sahu, Project Specialist, Manassure, Class of 2018, Mr. Srinivasulu Naidu, General Manager Tech, NHAI, Class of 2017, and Ms. Uma Gayatri Ravi, Program Manager, National Institute of Urban Management, Class of 2022, shared their expertise with our AMPI students on how to become Infrastructure Leaders through an online webinar on February 22, 2024, The session was moderated by Col Rajiv Bhargava.

Professor. Athar Shahab took the Faculty Masterclass for AMPI

On February 1, 2024. Professor Athar Shahab visiting faculty at ISB and Managing Director Zuari Industries Limited took the Masterclass Infrastructure Finance: An Overview.

Professor. Rohit Chandak took the Faculty Masterclass for AMPI

On January 9, 2024. Professor Rohit Chandak Ayana Renewable Power Pvt Ltd took a Master faculty class on Trends in Infrastructure Finance.

Speaker Session by Mr. Bhavesh Kumar

Topic: Optimizing Infrastructure Integrity: A Dive into Digital Validation
On March 5, 2024, during his virtual session, Mr. Bhavesh Kumar, Managing Director of Vias3D India, delved into the criticality of digital validation in enhancing infrastructure integrity. His discussion highlighted how digital tools can complement traditional processes to yield strategic insights, thereby optimizing the development and management of infrastructure projects.

Speaker Session by Ms. Swati Pandey

Topic: Role of SPVs in constructing and maintaining airports in India
On March 5, 2024, Ms. Swati Pandey, Vice Chairman and Managing Director (VCMD), Maharashtra Airport Development Company, recently addressed the students of our Advanced Management Programme for Infrastructure (AMPI) at our Mohali campus. She unraveled the complexities and advantages of employing Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for constructing and maintaining airports in India. Her insights shed light on the practical challenges and underscored the pivotal role of SPVs in streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.

Speaker Session by Mr. Nitin Raj, and Mr. Saurav Atri

Topic: How to 10X your business using Generative AI’
On March 6, 2024, insights on Generative AI were shared by Mr. Nitin Raj, Associate Partner, KPMG and Mr. Saurav Atri, Director, Global Learning, Manulife, who are both distinguished alumni of PGP Co2011. Their session focused on the revolutionary impact of Generative AI in fostering strategic thinking and enhancing project management, offering a glimpse into the future of business expansion and innovation.

Speaker Session by Mr. Smital Pandit and Mr. Anant Ashutosh Sharma

Topic: Sustainable Development in Smart Cities through a Civic Platform
On March 8, 2024, the virtual session by Mr. Smital Pandit and Mr. Anant Ashutosh Sharma, founders of Civic Solutions, explored the transformative potential of a civic platform in fostering sustainable development within smart cities. Their project, SmartCity311, exemplifies how digital platforms can enhance the interaction between citizens and government officials, revolutionizing public grievance management.

Speaker Session by Mr Rahul Shandilya

Topic: Adoption of Emerging Technologies in the Infrastructure Sectors: Insights from Airport Ecosystem
On March 9, 2024, Mr. Rahul Shandilya, CIDO of the GMR Group, provided a captivating overview of the adoption of emerging technologies within the airport ecosystem, revealing how technological advancements are quietly revolutionizing passenger experiences and operational efficiencies in airports around the globe.

Speaker Session by Ms. Hrydhal Damani

Topic: Could digitalization pave the way for transforming Indian cities?
On March 9, 2024, Ms. Hrydhal Damani, Director of Urban Development at ICF, highlighted the instrumental role of digitalization in the evolution of Indian cities towards 'smart' urban environments. Her extensive experience offered insights into government initiatives and smart solutions across various domains, including energy, mobility, and waste management, charting a course for the future of digital urban services.

Speaker Session by Mr. Piyush Srivastav

Topic: Digital Transformation of O&M of Renewable Assets for Improved RoI
On March 10, 2024, Mr. Piyush Srivastav, Deputy General Manager at Ayana Renewable Power Private Limited, spoke on the digital transformation in operation and maintenance (O&M) of renewable assets, emphasizing the significant impact of technological innovation on the renewable energy sector, particularly in enhancing the efficiency of solar cells and optimizing returns on investment.

Punj Lloyd Institute of Infrastructure Management

Indian School of Business, Knowledge City,
Sector 81, Mohali 140306.