Vol.3, Issue 3, 2024

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: Co2025

The eighth offering of the Advanced Management Programme (AMPI) commenced its third residency from 19 October to 27 October 2024 at the Hyderabad Campus. We have 27 students in our Co2025 Advanced Management Programme for Infrastructure. The cohort has an average experience of 12 years, representing a mix of middle, senior, and top management

Class of Co2025

  • The students studied core subjects related to infrastructure during the residency and made presentations of their action learning projects.

Research

Action Learning Projects
Rejuvenation of Depleting Ground Water Levels at ISB Campus
Team Members:
  • Prabhakar Dhulipudi Lingala
  • Laxman Rao
  • Deepak Jain
  • Sri Harsha Arisetti
  • Reuben Roy Mathew
  • Diixita Gulgulia
  • Anurag Jyothy Kunnel
  • Syed Salman Hussain
Synopsis:

The ALP proposes constructing five interconnected storage lakes on the ISB campus, designed to capture up to 35 crore liters of rainwater runoff. These lakes will be linked through open drains and pipes, maximizing water storage and management efficiency. Solar panels and shade balls will be deployed over the water bodies to minimize water loss due to evaporation, which accounts for an annual loss of 4 crore litres. This strategy reduces evaporation and generates up to 5 MW of renewable energy, contributing to the campus’s sustainable energy goals. Additionally, the project plans to upgrade the existing sewage treatment plant (STP) to increase its capacity and ensure compliance with current regulatory norms. This upgrade will support upcoming building demands and focus on environmental protection, odour control, and resource recovery. The implementation of impermeable liners and geotextiles will further enhance the efficiency of water conservation efforts. With a vision of environmental sustainability and long-term savings, the project estimates substantial reductions in water costs (INR 1.5 crore per year) and power savings (approximately INR 33 crore over 25 years). This comprehensive approach aligns with ISB’s objective of becoming an eco-friendly campus.

Team 1

Innovative Approaches to Expedite Design Process in Indian Railways
Team Members:
  • Krushang Shah
  • Yuvraj Kanade
  • Deepti Belday
  • Vandit Maheshwari
  • Varun Jain
  • Sandeep deb
Synopsis:

This ALP project aims to enhance the efficiency of design processes within Indian Railway projects. With a focus on underground utilities, the project aims to minimize significant delays and financial losses in railway infrastructure projects. The annual budget for Indian Railways is 2.52 lakh crore INR, with new infrastructure projects amounting to 80,000 crore INR. Delays in design and drawing approvals contribute to 54% of total project costs, translating to a financial impact of 4.80% or 2,073.6 crore INR. This highlights the critical need for process optimization to mitigate financial and temporal setbacks. The methodology involves a structured survey to collect primary data from project managers of ongoing and completed railway projects, and railway authority officials. Data collection is conducted through personal and online meetings, ensuring comprehensive and real-time data acquisition. The secondary data will be collected from historical reports, articles and government publications. This is followed by rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis to propose solutions based on data-driven insights, ensuring the reliability and validity of the findings. The project aims to identify bottlenecks, streamline workflows, and recommend actionable steps to reduce delays and improve cost efficiency. By employing advanced analytical techniques and stakeholder engagement, the project seeks to deliver practical and impactful recommendations. The outcome will benefit Indian Railways by expediting project delivery and enhancing overall operational efficiency, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of railway infrastructure.

Team 2

Strategies for enhancing the performance and efficiency in highway projects
Team Members:
  • Venkata Ranga Rao
  • Subhankar Nath
  • Shubhayu Dutta
  • Sidhant Pandey
  • Manasa Vemuri
  • Sai Sreenivas Bitra
  • Varun Walia
Synopsis:

India is becoming a fast-growing economy and efficient road connectivity is key to its success. Despite the best impetus provided by the Government of India for speedy construction of national highways, an alarmingly high percentage of road works are either stalled or delayed. Understandably, these are due to gaps in strategy mechanisms from inception to completion. The issue has been further aggravated due to multiple players and unsynchronized approaches. This necessitates an intervening strategy for ensuring speedy construction and arguably from the stage of award of the works. This ALP has taken upon this task of developing innovative and effective approaches for completion of road projects. The team comprises experienced professionals from the sector and the approach will meaningfully integrate real-time data analysis, digital tools and state-of-the-art approaches.

Team 3

Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for the development of Sustainable Satellite Cities
Team Members:
  • Rohit Malhotra
  • Angraj Hazarika
  • Apurva Zopay
  • Uddhav Chandra
  • Harsh Keshari
  • Rajavardhan Tondapu
Synopsis:

As India faces rapid urbanization, its major cities are grappling with overpopulation, pollution, and inadequate infrastructure. The solution to this is sustainable satellite townships, offering eco-friendly, resource-efficient alternatives that decentralize population growth, reduce environmental impact, and enhance quality of life. This ALP examines how the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model can accelerate the development of such townships, particularly through collaboration between Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and private entities. The urgency of this issue is due to increasing population density in major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. This ALP emphasizes the urgent need for sustainable townships, particularly when compared to global cities like New York, London, and Paris. Sustainable townships provide an opportunity to alleviate the pressures of urban sprawl, integrating smart infrastructure and sustainable development aligned with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ALP investigates the conventional mode of township development—where ULBs are burdened with financial, operational, and executional risks. In the proposed PPP model, private developers provide capital, modern technology, and efficiency, while ULBs manage regulatory oversight and land acquisition. The collaboration allows for better risk-sharing, faster project completion, and long-term sustainability. However, the PPP model also carries risks, including financial instability, ambiguous contracts, and potential environmental degradation. This ALP discusses strategies for ULBs to mitigate these risks, such as regulatory frameworks, financial viability measures like Viability Gap Funding (VGF), and performance-based contracts to ensure

Team 4

Outreach

Speaker Session by Mr. Bhavesh Kumar, "Managing Director, VIAS3D India"

Topic: Optimizing Infrastructure Integrity: A Divine into Digital Validation
On 26 October ,2024 Mr. Bhavesh Kumar delivered a technical talk about digital validation, particularly focusing on its use in predicting the behaviour of products or systems under various conditions using computational and mathematical models. Here's a summary of the key points he aims to convey:

Definition and Scope of Digital Validation:

  • Uses computational models and mathematical equations to predict the behaviour of products or systems under specific conditions.
  • Focuses on the engineering aspects, excluding manufacturing simulations.

Evolution of Simulation in Engineering:

  • Initially used for post-failure analysis in a linear design-test-build cycle.
  • Now integrated proactively into the design process to anticipate and prevent failures.

Importance of Inputs:

  • Accurate material properties and scenario definitions are critical for meaningful simulation results.
  • Incorrect or incomplete inputs can compromise the effectiveness of simulations.

Challenges in Adoption:

  • Simulations often become a "number game" to match field results, leading to adjustments in assumptions rather than improving model accuracy.
  • Complexity and uncertainty in material models and assumptions can hinder precise outcomes.

Capabilities and Limitations:

  • Simulations provide directional insights, helping compare design alternatives and optimize systems.
  • While not 100% accurate, they can achieve high correlation under defined conditions and standards.
  • Real-world accuracy improves with fewer assumptions and iterative model refinement.

Role in Decision-Making:

  • Simulations help evaluate multiple design scenarios efficiently, reducing reliance on costly physical prototypes and experiments.

Dr. Chandan Chowdhury with Mr. Bhavesh Kumar

Speaker Session by Piyush Srivastav, " Deputy General Manager (Analytics, Performance and Operations and Maintenance), Ayana Renewable Power Private Limited".

Topic: Leveraging Technology for Predictive Maintenance of Solar Assets On 26 October ,2024 Mr Piyush Srivastav conveyed the immense potential and rapid growth of renewable energy, particularly in India, while highlighting the critical challenges and opportunities in the field. They stress the importance of technological innovation, efficient resource use, and the role young engineers can play in addressing issues like energy distribution and transmission losses. The overarching message is to inspire students to actively participate in driving sustainable energy solutions, given the urgency of climate change and the global push towards cleaner energy systems.

The speaker conveyed detailed insights into how technology and data management are revolutionizing solar power plant operations. Key points from their discussion include

  • Fault Detection: Alerts are generated when issues are identified, allowing prompt intervention to minimize downtime and energy losses.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Operators receive detailed reports and performance insights, including energy generation, weather parameters, and module temperature.
  • Solar Panel Degradation: Degradation in solar panel performance is tracked, with data used to claim compensation from manufacturers if necessary.
  • Recycling Challenges: Solar panel recycling technologies are still developing, but improvements are expected in the future to address disposal issues.

Mr. Piyush Srivastav with Dr. Chandan Chowdhury

Punj Lloyd Institute of Infrastructure Management

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