August 04-10, 2014 1

Volume 3 l Issue No 31 l August 04 - 10 , 2014 l Price: Rs 100An MMR, Braj Binani Group Publication

Outlining the metamorphosis in the country’s cityscape and infrastructure developments, the publishers of ‘Construct ion Industry Review’ through its events arm MMR Events organized the 5th annual one-day seminar ‘Metamorphosis in Buildings & Construction Industry’ at Hotel Hilton Mumbai International Airport, Andheri, on July 25, 2014, which focussed on the transformation in the country’s cityscape and infrastructure developments, among other important issues and technological changes.

The event was well supported by Kalpataru Ltd, Super Tiles & Marbles Pvt Ltd, Concrete Additives & Chemica ls Pv t L td , Re lcon Infraprojects Ltd, Enkay Enterprises, Fosroc Chemicals India Pvt Ltd, Pidilite Industries Ltd; Apple Chemie India Pvt Ltd and Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd.

The industry associations and government bodies who supported the event included Construction Chemicals Manufacturers Association (CCMA); Construct ion Industry Development Council (CIDC) and City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (Cidco).

In her welcome address Bina Verma, Editor, ‘Construction Industry Review’ said, “The construction industry on the whole has boldly faced challenges in the year gone by, but the year ahead is expected to make up with special attention and sanctions given to the infrastructure sector and we look forward to stabilization of the industry.”

“At this point, investment in infrastructure development is crucial for India’s sustained economic growth. There is an urgent need to utilize world-class technologies in the Indian construction sector.”

Keeping in line with the need of the hour, the objective behind organizing this seminar is to give exposure to the domestic construction industry about some of the latest technologies, she added.

The event kicked off with the a speech in the plenary session by

Binani Cement Ltd Managing Director, Joey Ghosh, who highlighted global scenario of the cement industry.

Differing on the general consensus of the GDP growth triggering industry growth, he said, “Most economists now maintain that since financial crisis, global economy is more a ‘Zero Sum’ game; higher growth in advanced economies will not necessarily create demand in emerging markets.”

While providing statistical data, he said, “China, the second largest economy by GDP, is the top consumer and producer of cement. India, among the top ten largest economies, stands in the second place in terms of cement consumption and production. Only a few countries where the per capita consumption is above 1,000 kg. In India, per capita consumption is considerably low at 191 kg.”

Other emerging countries like Brazil, Russia have also low per capita consumption for cement that, he says, have doubled over the last decade, from 1.8 Bnt in 2002 to 3.7 Bnt in 2012 (CAGR - 7.4 %), Compared to a CAGR of 4.3% in the previous decade (1992-2002).

At present, he added, “Global cement demand is dominated by China (39% in 2002 v/s 58% in 2012). Small but steady growth will be

coming from emerging markets.”While 2013 was considered as the

‘bottom out’ year, 2014 is expected to be a recovery year for cement industry, he said.

In his outlook he said, “Globally, still demand remain subdued however better growth is expected than the financial year 2013-14.”

He summarized saying, “China remains a major risk for cement; India, little upside could be possible; South Asia will continue to be stable; while Sub-Saharan Africa is where the future is.”

Taking it further, Shripad Ranade, Senior Principal, Tata Strategic Management Group, discussed characteristics of infrastructure and EPC sectors in view of the Budget.

Discussing on various issues plaguing the sector he said, “Issues in land acquisition and environmental clearances are mostly leading to project delays. A lack of coordination between various government agencies and lack of proper dispute resolution mechanism is worsening situation.

Among other major issues that need to be addressed are adoption of advanced project management practices, poor capabil i t ies in eng inee r i ng o r p rocu remen t , particularly for complex projects,

5th Annual CIR Seminar on ‘Metamorphosis in Buildings & Construction Industry’

Call for modern methods to drivehigh-performance in the sector

shortage of skilled manpower, etc. Echoing the v iews f rom

the earlier address by Bina Verma he said, “Slowdown in infrastructure investments has led to a slowdown in new order bookings for EPC players, while the appetite of infrastructure d e v e l o p e r s f o r n e w projects has significantly reduced.”

C l a r i t y o n k e y regulatory and project structuring, complemented by f inancing support is required to boost future growth, he suggested.

Private companies need to evolve their processes to employ best-in-class project management tools and techniques; expertise of experienced project management processes and personnel need to be engaged for project execution; develop more understanding of engineering design, particularly for complex projects – develop internal teams and factor in the time required; bidding and estimation process needs to be tempered with greater emphasis on proper revenue estimates and identification of project risks, etc.

L-R - Samir Surlaker, Chairman, CCMA; Joey Ghose, Managing Director, Binani Cement Ltd; Shripad Ranade, Sr Principal, Tata Strategic Management Group, and Bina Verma, Editor, Construction Industry Review

Panel Discussion - Bharat Bhrambhatt, RNA Corp; Amar Tendulkar, Omkar Realtors; Rumi Engineer, Godrej Green Building Consultancy; and Piyush Gandhi, JLL

(Contd. on pg 2)

Joey Ghose, MD Binani Cement Ltd

“Companies need to address issues related to lack of skilled manpower and improve their current sourcing & project management practices, to reduce the incidence of cost and time overruns during execution,” he said.

In the session, Samir Surlaker, Chairman, Construction Chemicals Manufacturers Association and Managing Director, Mc-Bauchemie presented an in te res t ing and interactive presentation on the new developments and advancements in construction chemicals industry.

The keynote address, themed policy and planning issues in India’s building & construction sector, was delivered by V Suresh, Director,

HIRCO Project Companies and Former CMD Hudco

He said, “If increased flows of investments are to be brought in for housing, infrastructure investment-friendly environment will have to be created. These need many reforms in urban housing and infrastructures delivery options.”

L-R: Dr V Vijaybaskar, Balmer Lawrie; Abdulkader Bengali, Pidilite; and Vivek Naik, Apple Chemie in the construction chemicals session

August 04-10, 2014 2

professional for Project Management Institute (PMI) highlighted project management, advocacy, awareness a n d a d o p t i o n t h a t i m p r o v e s performance delivery scenario in the construction sector which at present is still largely unorganized.

He said, “It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things. We need to strengthen project and programme management.”

events

“Government plays the role of catalyst, enabler, facilitator and less of provider technologies for building materials to be environment friendly, ecologically appropriate, energy saving, and economical in cost, land bank/ development to be speeded up where Vision 2030 for all cities / master plans and advanced planning and development for residential land development through public / private / public private partnership modes to be geared up with 100 new smart cities also LARR needs to be simplified.”

L o o k i n g a h e a d h e s a i d , development of a roadmap and action plan for achieving the objective of ‘Nation Building’ is required.

Discussions proceeded further with MD Lele, Chief Planner, Cidco provided the outcome of recommendations in the regional plan for MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) for building a new town in order to effectively decongest Mumbai.

He said the mission in redeveloping Navi Mumbai is to help relieve pressure on Mumbai by ensuring balanced development of the new town thus by providing world class physical infrastructure and provide affordable housing and develop viable and sustainable city.

Housing policies to facil itate affordable housing and create adequate stock for LIG, EWS and shelter for poor on ownership or rental basis.

He further talked about urban renewa l fo r regu la r i za t ion o f unauthorized construction in & around Gaothans and various schemes provided by Cidco.

In the architects’ session Roshni Udyavar Yehuda, Head, Rachana Sansad’s Institute of Environmental Architecture presented the role of archi tects in envi ronmental management.

Further, a panel discussion on rebuilding cities stressed on the

transformation of horizontal space to vertical expansions of buildings and effective land use.

The moderator of the session Piyush Gandhi, National Director – Residential Project & Development Services, Jones Lang LaSal le, stressed the need to evolve the best in class project management tools and techniques.

“Expertise of experienced project management processes and personnel need to be engaged for project execution,” he said.

Bhara t Brahmabhat t , Head - Projects, RNA Corp presented his concern over high-rises and stressed the preparedness of high-rise considering infrastructure support which should be the priority while going vertical.

Fellow panelist Rumi Engineer, Head-Godrej Green Building Green Buildings, Godrej Green Building Consultancy Services & Head – Energy Conservation, Godrej & Boyce Limited said, “Major challenges in high-rise is plumbing, safety issues, clearance policies and managing the glass façade designs.”

A m a r Te n d u l k a r s p o k e o n design challenges and construction t e c h n o l o g i e s w h e r e m o r e understanding of engineering design, particularly for complex projects and developing internal teams and factor in the time is required.

In the construction chemicals session, Abdulkader Bengali, Business Head – Large Waterproofing Group, Pidilite Industries Limited, addressed sustainable construction issues when buildings are subject to high exposure of sunlight and rain water lash.

“This calls for an approach to sustainable systems that can prevent water seepage and leakage through roofs. Ensure health and comfort of building occupants. Reduce energy consumption needs. Enhance durability of construction through

long term performance and extended service life.”

He defined it as Sustainable Structure = Heat Free + Leak Free Structure = Healthy Structure with Happy Occupants.

In the session Dr. V. Vijayabaskar, Manager – Product Development Centre (Performance Chemicals Division), Balmer & Lawrie Co. Ltd delivered a technical presentation on concrete admixtures and emphasising on superplasticizers.

Tejas Sura, portfolio management

Further, in the building technologies session, discussing on the latest thinking in the Precast technology for construction, Amit Barde, Head – Precast Design, L&T said, “When compared to other disciplines of building construction, civi l construction is conventional in its approach. We need to break away from the convention to meet the demand and derisk critical construction activities. One such technology proven elsewhere in building construction is precast.”

V Suresh, Director, HIRCO Project Companies

MD Lele, Chief Planner, CIDCO

Pranav Desai, National Product Manager-VAP, Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete India Pvt. Ltd

Abdulkader Bengali, Business Head – Large Waterproofing Group, Pidilite Industries Ltd

Q&A session

Girish Dravid, Director, Sterling Engineering

Siddharth Dhond - National Product Manager – Morpla, Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete India Pvt. Ltd.

Amit Barde, Head – Precast Design, L&T

Tejas Sura, PMI

Vivek Naik, MD, Apple Chemie

Dr. V. Vijayabaskar, Manager – Product Development Centre (Performance Chemicals Division), Balmer & Lawrie Co. Ltd

Roshni Udyavar Yehuda, Head, Rachana Sansad’s Institute of Environmental Architecture

Students of architecture posing questions

(Contd. on pg 12)

August 04-10, 2014 3COnstRUCtIOn CHeMICALs

Causes and remedies for leakage

Water seepage occurs mainly from external wall, window, roof, or from ceiling which may cause water staining, peeling off of paint or wallpaper, water dripping, growth of fungus, defective concrete, plaster or tiles and rust staining.

They are common defects in causing a nuisance to occupiers across floors. It is sometimes very difficult to identify the source or cause of water seepage for which an extensive investigation may be necessary.

Many homeowners often ask for a list of warning signs of water leakage and damage. Such queries come more often in cities that endure excessive rainfall and prolonged rainy season, such as Mumbai. It is extremely important in such places to have a list as a guide for self-inspection in the hope that they might have an early detection of problems and consequently their timely redressal.

Causes for leakageThe main reasons for water leakages

are water stagnation, inadequate slope for drainage of rain water and damage or deterioration of waterproofing system. Leakage occurs through pores and connected capillaries in concrete structures, thereby corroding the reinforcement.

Sometimes defective enclosures for water tanks, cracks of parapet walls affect waterproofing systems. Inadequate protection of roof slab or improper installation of waterproofing system may also lead to leakages.

Windows: This may be due to forming of gaps between window frame and masonry, between lintel beam and masonry and through alumimium fame and window sill which can be avoided by choosing and sealing with a right kind of sealant.

Internal wet areas: Leakage from bathrooms or kitchens is usually caused by seepage from fitments, bathtubs, shower trays, buried pipes or drains due to improper construction of joints and improper installation of sealants.

The inadequate slope of such floors may lead to water stagnation for some time due to which water may penetrate through tile joints. Waterproof cement render ing underneath floor tiles for the floor not installed properly and improper installation of sockets or conduits are some of other causes of bathroom leakages.

rain intensity coupled with blocking of sewerage pipelines intensifies leakages. A more detailed solution like tanking with a water barrier membrane coupled with effective d r a i n a g e s y s t e m s h o u l d b e envisaged.

Growth of mold, mildew and fungus. All these become visible after colonization of spores and showing discoloration of paints and coatings and creating unhygienic atmosphere inside the buildings.

Essential stepsIt should also be borne in mind

that it is essential to:Avoid nailing at parapet or any

external surface.Never overload ‘chhajja’ with

‘kundis’ (flower pots) and waste materials.

Do not convert or change use patterns of building segments, ie, kitchen to bedroom, toilet to kitchen, etc.

Do not puncture any structural members such as a column, beam, slab, etc.

D o n o t f o r g e t t o a p p l y waterproofing systems before all kinds of flooring.

Traditional techniques for waterproofing

Waterproofing in our country is being done over several years by various conventional and traditional methods, such as:

Lime terracing for roofs; Brickbat coba for roofs and terraces; Mud phuska for roof surfacing; Shahabad tile finishing for basements and retaining walls; Box type waterproofing techniques for basement.

The methods are used over a period of time, but they have certain limitations and disadvantages mentioned below

As all the methods are labour-intensive, scarcity of skilled labour in today’s construction industry is one of the major drawbacks of these methods.

They are time-consuming and cumbersome jobs, and looking a t modern era o f t ime-bound construction projects, they are not the right choice.

Climatic changes and weathering effects are the major issues for the non-acceptabi l i ty of these techniques.

Final ly and speci f ical ly, the brickbat coba is technically not a waterproofing solution as the porous bricks and in-filling mortars used for

Seepage through defective joints or pipes caused by poor installation or di f ferent ia l movements and settlements are the main causes of water leakages from metal pipes. Corrosion of metal pipes at junctions with floors or walls, invasion of water into conduits, blockage in pipes leading to excessive pressure built up or sometimes attacks by rodents or roots of plants causing damage of metal pipes and leakages occurring at these locations.

In case of exposed supply pipes or drains, there may be inadequacy in design of drains such as insufficient diameter, bends being too sharp, etc. Also, blockage of drains at the junction of bends or traps, open joints such as hoppers of down pipes may lead to leakages of water.

Damp patches on dry wallsWater penetration takes place

through external wall defects such as hairline cracks, joints, honeycombs, spilling, weak points, holes, punctures and leftovers of debris. The hairline cracks begin to grow further and allow seepage of water.

The movement of external wall components leads to settlement

cracks on the wall. Also, water penetration takes place through defective external wall finishes such as paint surface, poor cladding or curtain walls construction. Another cause may be due to water leakage through walls between units of pre-fabricated elements.

Musty smell from basement: This may be due to inadequate or damage of tank waterproofing systems (due to movements or punctures) and deterioration of water stops at construction and movement joints.

Basements Another very important issue

is concerned with the design of basements and founda t i ons , depending on their usage like car parking, commercial establishments, storages, workshops and in various demands as applicable in case-to-case basis.

Basements being the closed areas are very prone to high humid conditions leading to dampness and flooding which in turn damage structures. The other critical factors like varying water level subjected to tidal situations and monsoon

such techniques absorb a lot amount of water inside the system.

Though the brickbat coba is advantageous to build up the slope on flat roofs, it also adds dead load on slab structure. Moreover, in case of existing roofs with brickbat coba, it is very difficult to find out actual source of water ingress which in turn challenges rehabilitation works.

New waterproofing techniques

Polymer science has created a new dimension to waterproofing solutions to building structures, and today a plethora of waterproofing materials as per international standard is available. The only requirement is that we should focus leakage problems in a comprehensive way and try to resolve them with a proper scientific approach.

For example, leakage from flat roofs could be due to water stagnation and subsequent percolation of water through cracks on surfaces or in parapet walls. Such a problem can be solved building a proper slope and repairing cracks with suitable crack filling materials.

Similarly, i f joints in external facades between window frames and masonry walls or gaps between aluminum frames and window can still be taken care of with proper elastomeric sealant, the ingress of water can be restricted.

Leakages in bathrooms and wash areas can be resolved by following a proper waterproofing specification whi le cast ing the sunken s lab followed by filling of gaps and joints on floors, plumbing lines and internal fittings with sealing materials.

Specialized polymeric crack filling material or polymer mortars should be used to fill up those areas and the external faces to be covered with weather resistant protective coatings rather than decorative finish paints.

Vegetation growth also plays a vital role in bringing the external moisture inside the building elements through their roots, stems and leaves. Removal of such unwanted vegetation along building facades and subsequent f i l l ing of gaps with moisture insensitive polymeric mortars would be the right choice.

Cost comparisonsThe polymeric waterproofing

techniques vary in their characteristics a n d a p p l i c a t i o n t e c h n i q u e s , depending on the usage areas. Henceforth, the cost implication is also multi-faceted ranging between arbitrary numbers.

The initial cost of application may be a little high, but the advantageous part is the speed and ease of application coupled with long term durability and service life compared with conventional techniques.

“The waterproofing industry can succeed only if we use the right material with the right application,” observes Dr Sanjay Bahadur, Global CEO, Construction Chemicals Division, Pidilite Industries Ltd in a round-table discussion held at Dr Fixit Institute, Pidilite Industries, Mumbai. A report by Remona Divekar

(Contd. on pg4)

Representation only

August 04-10, 2014 4COnstRUCtIOn CHeMICALs

PRODUCT LAUNCH

Rooftop Deck from Notion

Market drivers & restraintsDr Sanjay Bahadur says, We

believe that waterproofing is a system approach and not product approach. Sustainable construction is the next future and hence we launched Dr Fixit LEC, ie, Low Energy Consumption Systems which helps to waterproof and at the same time insulates the building and reduces energy consumption in an effective manner. We believe a system approach is what will drive the market demand.”

You see that 99 per cent of the time the product doesn’t fail, but applications fail because of the lack of detailing. Hence, there is a definite need for training. Also, knowledge about right accessories is essential.

The waterproofing industry can only succeed if we use the right material with the right application. Untrained applicators are another concern wh ich we are s lowly addressing through our Dr Fixit Service which involves site trials, site demos and training applicators.

Market trends construction chemicals

The waterproofing market in India is at a very premature state, since the bulk of construction sites use traditional methods like brickbat coba, mud ‘phuska’ which have their own limitations. Hence, we see this as an area where huge opportunities exist.

There is an urgency to inculcate the right material usage, right dosage and the correct application to ensure that we create healthy structures. As far as development in the construction chemicals industry goes, there has been a strong growth rate of 17 per cent per annum.

The construction chemicals market has a huge growth potential due to construction and manufacturing boom in India. Many newly developed products give better performance and results and hence there will be a shift in demand towards products offering better performance.

Critical success factors: There has been a lot of thought processes combined with uninterrupted R&D that have helped us strengthen the overall brand equity of our mother brand Dr Fixit. We offer a comprehensive range of waterproofing products and have over the years managed to establish ourselves as a preferred brand in this category.

Challenges faced by sectorLack of skilled manpower is one

of the biggest challenges and a major constraint faced by the sector. It has been our primary challenge. Dr Fixit also provides training and supervision at site for right application practices.

The industry’s biggest challenges are low awareness regarding benefits of construction chemicals, inadequate

knowledge on proper usage of these chemicals and lack of enforcement of quality standards on construction activities.

About 85 per cent of contractors and builders are not aware of the key advantages of using construction chemicals and have limited knowledge on their proper applications.

Current trends in construction chemicals

Green construction is the current trend in construction chemicals and waterproofing solutions market in the country. LEC is a comprehensive waterproofing-cum-insulation system from Dr Fixit.

“An advanced high-end range o f wa te rp roo f ing sys tem has been developed with 25 years of waterproofing and insulation warranty. This solution will take waterproofing to the next level as far as high-end projects are concerned. We believe this new solution will contribute

Not ion has introduced Roof Deck tiles which can expand your space for enjoying great outdoors and entertaining. If you live in a metropolitan city, a rooftop deck would be the best to create your outdoor space.

Not ion , a p ioneer name in exterior wood solution for home and commercial space, has launched Rooftop Deck that can work great in any climate and will last for years.

Akash Saini, Director Sales, Notion, says, “Outdoor living space is a cherished commodity, and although its value is certainly subjective for the individual, there is no question that it adds life and value to the property.

“This is particularly true in the case of Rooftop Decks, which is becoming fast and major value-added feature in urban developments. We have introduced Rooftop Deck tiles, made with fine tropical wood and assembled on a high density engineered plastic base.

“It’s available in natural wood of ‘IPE’. These decking tiles are provided with non-toxic chemical coatings that ensure resistance against termite and moisture. The mechanism is unique, which allows rainwater to flow down faster and make your space slip resistance.

“This is one of the most durable and stable products available to

significantly as the value proposition is very strong.

“Our consistent efforts are to generate Green solutions for various areas of application catering to the needs of complex high-rise structures; we have launched LEC (Low Energy Consumption) which is a waterproofing-cum-insulation system. Extensa, the high performance spray applied seamless waterproofing membrane, has won the Silver Award at ACETECH, 2013-2014,”said Bahadur.

New waterproofing productsDr Fixit is one of the most trusted

brands in the Indian construction industry, known for its innovation and p ioneer ing so lu t ions fo r waterproofing. It is an effort to give customers an end-to-end solution for waterproofing their entire home at the time of construction.

Right from the foundation to the terrace roofing, Leakfree Homes

revamp your exteriors at nominal cost. All of above its installation system is so simple and it takes no more than just several hours for setting.”

will make sure that customers are free from problems due to water leakage and seepage and protect their house.

Dr Fixit Roof seal is a revolutionary product for new terrace waterproofing that provides end-consumers with a comprehensive solution to their issues related to roofs and terraces. For proper and correct application of the product, Pidlite has trained waterproofing applicators on the usage of these products.

Dr Fixit New Coat Ezee, a two-coat waterproof coating for bungalow terraces, without breaking the old waterproofing system of brickbat coba and mud ‘phuska’ and making it a hassle-free, economical and reliable waterproofing system. The best practice used internationally is to coat the terrace with elastomeric coatings, and Pidilite has worked towards the same.

With Notion Rooftop decks one can make your space more and more beautiful than ever before.

August 04-10, 2014 5

REIT: Exit options for investors pro-reform government at the Centre, positive sentiments flowed into the residential segment. Home buyers and investors planning to invest in property are expecting positive policy changes that in turn are expected to boost the housing segment.

Noida and Gurgaon in the NCR, and the peripheral and secondary micro-markets of Chennai and Bengaluru saw new launches in June, largely confined to the mid-segment category. Meanwhile, new phases of existing projects were launched at increased pricing at eastern suburbs and Thane in Mumbai. Prices inched upwards in a few locations in Mumbai, while remaining stable in the NCR and smaller cities. The housing segment remains cautiously optimistic, and is expected to remain so in the short to medium term.

ReAL estAte

Reit will provide for a safe and diversified investment option at reduced risks—all under professional

management, to ensure the highest returns on

investment

With the coming of the new government already having improved sentiments in the realty market, as a next step the sector expects India’s economic fundamentals to be tackled on a priority basis before any major changes may be anticipated at an industry-level.

Infrastructure projects need to be implemented with a sense of urgency,

The industry perceives th is announcement as the single most consequential reform witnessed in India’s realty sector in recent times, which will have significant positive impact on the market in times to come.

Investments in India’s commercial real estate have largely remained out of bounds for the country’s average citizen, as the realty sector so far lacked any monetization vehicle for the capital intensive sub-sectors of the commercial sector.

Additionally, since such projects require huge capital inflow, broad-based portfol io investments by individual investors have hardly been feasible. A possible solution to this could now be the introduction of the Reit and the Real Estate Mutual Funds (REMFs).

developed Reit/REMF markets in the world today, with their necessary regulatory frameworks in place, and significant representation of such listed instruments on their respective stock markets.

Meanwhile, although India had issued draft regulations in December 2007, and draft guidelines in October 2013, the Sebi was yet to formalize any definite introduction of the investment instrument in the India realty market.

The much-awaited clarity on taxation of the Reit was provided in the recently presented Union Budget. Long-term capital gains and dividends to investors have also been made tax-free; while the Infrastructure Investment Trusts (for public private partnership arrangements in infrastructure projects) were provided a pass-through taxation status too.

such as Blackstone have already started building a corpus of well-leased or sold completed commercial and residential properties, so that they are ready to issue as and when the Government of India releases its final policy framework on the Reit.

At a time when the realty sector is struggling for alternate avenues of funding—other than traditional banks and financial institutions—and private players are sourcing institutional capital, permitting the Reit can act as a key enabler for capital markets in the country, and provide investors with exit options. Although a detailed clarification on the tax structure for the Reit is still awaited, nonetheless, this is a positive move that would go a long way in reviving global investor sentiments in the India market.

and more income tax incentives for home loans have to be introduced before we can expect to see any significant impact on the real estate sector.

Policy revisionsThe Union Budget 2014–15,

unveiled last month, met industry expectations of more liberalized policies for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the sector, with major policy revisions including the reduction in the minimum capitalization from $10 million to $5 million, with a three year post-completion lock-in, for wholly-owned subsidiaries; and trimming the minimum area of construction projects from a carpet area of 50,000 sq m to 20,000 sq m.

The Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reit) was given a pass-through taxation status, with the Sebi being directed to implement the Reit in the country soon. Other initiatives included funding allocation for affordable housing, infrastructure projects such as highways, airports, and creation of a ‘100 Smart Cities’ across the country.

A few expectations such as an infrastructure status for the real estate industry (and specifically for the low cost/mass housing projects), clearer tax regulations for Special Economic Zones (Sezs), relaxed guidelines in the new land acquisition bill, and clarity on foreign investment guidelines in the retail sector, however, were not met. We expect the Central government to address these concerns in coming months.

Office space Office leasing activity picked up in

the second quarter of 2014, with close to 8 million sq ft of office space getting absorbed; appreciating by about 26 per cent on a quarterly basis, and by around 14 per cent y-o-y. Almost all markets—barring Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata—saw an increase in absorption levels. Bengaluru and Delhi NCR led the momentum in transactions, with the micro-markets of the Outer Ring Road and Whitefield in Bengaluru, and Gurgaon, attracting most occupier interest.

Housing market With the emergence of a stable,

Implications of Reit The biggest announcement for

the real estate sector proposed by the newly elected government in its Union Budget 2014–15 was the Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) being directed to introduce the Real Estate Investment Trusts and the Infrastructure Investment Trusts in India.

We expect the entry of this much-awaited investment instrument to provide alternative funding channels to the realty sector. Going forward, it will also act as a key enabler for capital markets in the country, and provide investors with exit options.

Chance to become stakeholders

These investment vehicles are characterized by their investment in real estate assets as well as limited liability for unit holders. The Reit, for instance, provide low and mid-income investors with the opportunity of becoming stakeholders in a portfolio of real estate assets, which would otherwise have not been feasible.

The Reit originated in the US, and following its success, it was replicated across numerous economies across the globe. The US, Australia, Japan and Singapore are among the most

Finally policy framework awaited

While we are still awaiting detailed guidelines from the government on the implementation of the Reit in India, the draft guidelines circulated by the Sebi in October 2013 proposed a minimum capitalization of INR 1,000 crore, and an initial offer size of INR 250 crore. At least 90 per cent of the investment was required to be in ‘revenue generating completed’ properties.

The minimum subscription size was to be INR 2 lakh, with resident as well foreign investors to be allowed to invest in the Reit. Numerous funds

Apart from a low entry level, this will now provide an avenue for channelizing retail funds into the realty sector. Once formally introduced by the Sebi, the instrument will provide for a safe and diversified investment option at reduced risks—all under professional management, to ensure the highest returns on investment.

Anshuman Magazine CMD, CBRE South Asia Pvt Ltd

August 04-10, 2014 6PROJeCts UPDAte

Cost overruns over delayed infra projects up by Rs 1 lakh cr

Building of world’s tallest rail bridge underway in Manipur

Shipping Ministry to set up new firm to develop port rail projects

A third of all large infrastructure projects in the country are delayed resulting in cost overruns of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore.

The data, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha, reveals that of the 727 large projects costing over Rs 150 crore and monitored by the Ministry of Statistics and programme implementation, 282 projects were delayed as on May 1, 2014, and are estimated to cost at least an additional

The North-East Frontier Railway (NRF) has started construction of a bridge with height of pillars up to 141 metres near Noney in Manipur. This bridge will be the tallest in the world, surpassing the existing tallest of Mala-Rijeka viaduct on Belgrade-Bar railway line in Europe where the height of pillars is 139 metres.

T h e r a i l w a y b r i d g e u n d e r construction on river Chenab in Jammu-Kashmir line is of arch type which is bridging a gorge of about 360 metre deep from the bed of the river to the rail level and is being considered as the highest railway

Rs 98,992 crore. Of these, two in three projects in the petroleum sector were delayed, while nearly half the projects in power as well as highways were running behind schedule.

The data is even starker in the sector of atomic energy where all four projects being monitored are delayed from anywhere between three months (Rajasthan Atomic Power Project 7 and 8) to as much as 75 months in the case of Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

bridge in the world. According to NFR the proposed bridge in Manipur is part of the 111 km long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal railway line to connect the capital of Manipur with the Broad Gauge network of the country. The alignment of the railway line passes through steep rolling hills of Patkai region, eastern trail of the Himalayas.

While Jiribam, a small town of Manipur near Assam -Manipur border, is situated at 37meter above mean sea level (msl), the capital city Imphal is situated at 780 m above MSL. The alignment has to traverse through

“The main reasons for delay in implementation are law and order problems, delay in land acquisition, rehabi l i tat ion and resett lement p r o b l e m s , f u n d c o n s t r a i n t s , delay in forest and environmental clearances, right of way and right of use issues, delay in supply of material, contractual issues, etc,” said Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Statistics & Programme Implementation.

not only a number of deep gorges, but over several rivers flowing at low ground levels.

As a result it has necessitated to construct 46 tunnels measuring total 54.5 km in length and tall bridges in order to maintain a suitable gradient for efficient operation of railway. The longest tunnel will be 4.9 km long between Jiribam-Tupul and 10.75 km between Tupul-Imphal sections.

The first phase of the project from Jiribam to Tupul (84 km), which include this bridge, is slated for completion by March 2016.

PM meets infra secys to set target for 2014-15

Centre to develop 5 airports, award management contract

AP gives nod to LNG terminal at Gangavaram Port

Aiming to spruce up growth, PM Narendra Modi met secretaries of nine infrastructure ministries to set targets for 2014-15 and identify key projects in sectors like road, power and railways. As per sources, the Planning Commission Secretary Sindhushree Khullar made a 15-page presentation on the performance of core infrastructure ministries in 2013-14 and deliberated on the targets suggested by the ministries for the current fiscal.

The infrastructure sector is a focus area for the Modi-led government. The Centre is keen to speed up infrastructure development and investment to boost economic growth which remained at sub-5 per cent level during the previous two fiscals.

Secretaries and senior officials

The Centre will start the development of five no-frills airports and award management contracts of four airports to private operators in the current financial year. The targets were set in a meeting between secretaries of ministries and Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on July 26.

The Planning Commission Secretary Sindhushree Khullar coordinated the meeting attended by secretaries from the railways, road transport & highways, civil aviation, power, coal, renewable energy, ports and shipping,

The Andhra Pradesh government has given its nod for setting up the LNG terminal by Petronet LNG Ltd at Gangavaram Port on the east coast near Visakhapatnam. However, it has refused Gangavaram Port’s proposal to collect the waterfront charges at the rate of Rs 103.68 per metric ton of LNG cargo handled from Petronet.

Petronet is a joint venture set up by Gail (India) Ltd, the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd to import LNG and set up LNG terminals in the country with an authorized capital is Rs 1,200 crore ($240 million). Gangavaram Port Ltd, along with PLL, has proposed to construct and operate a 5 mmtpa LNG terminal with a provision to expand further to 10 mmtpa.

The JV company will have equity contributions from PLL (76 per cent) Gangavaram Port Ltd (8 per cent)

from nine infrastructure ministries – power, road transport, shipping, civil aviation, coal, petroleum, railways, telecom and renewable energy – were present in the meeting. Besides, top officials from Rural Development Ministry and Environment & Forests Ministry also attended the meeting.

Sources said the commission has proposed laying of 300 km new railway track during the current fiscal. The Indian Railways laid 450 km of new track in 2013-14, which was short of the targeted 500 km.

Similarly, the plan panel, proposed to set a target of 700 km for doubling of rail tracks in the current fiscal against 900 km targeted in 2013-14. The Indian Railways achieved doubling of around 700 km of rail track in previous fiscal.

telecommunications, petroleum and natural gas ministries and the PM.

A ministry official said, “The outlay for the civil aviation sector has been increased 66 per cent. It was decided to start work on five of 50 low-cost airports. The locations are yet to be finalized. We have decided to award management contracts in at least four of six airports to private operators, processes for which were started last year.”

The year’s outlay for the Civil Aviation Ministry is Rs 934 crore.

and other parties such as prospective LNG suppliers/buyers or any strategic investor.

PLL will be the majority shareholder and will have complete management control over the JV company.

According to a government order issued yesterday, the Gangavaram Port Ltd will submit to the government the detailed project report that was submitted to the lenders for achieving financial closure and ensure financial sustainability of the project.

“The government, after detailed examination of the proposal in consultation with Law and Finance Departments and keeping in view the recommendations of the Empowered Group of Ministers, hereby accord approval to Gangavaram Port Ltd, Visakhapatnam district, for establishing the LNG terminal at Gangavaram Port,” said the order.

As part of its initiative to fast-track port connectivity, the Shipping Ministry proposes to incorporate a new company to undertake rail projects at all government ports.

The new entity, which will have equity participation from the 12 major ports, is expected to implement all new rail projects and also to undertake

the existing rail line operations within the port area, said a government official.

Nitin Gadkari, Union Shipping Minister, discussed the ministry’s proposal with head of government ports at a meeting in Mumbai on July 28. The proposed company will have an initial authorized capital of Rs 100

crore. The official, however, said the proposal is at an initial stage and the details are yet to be worked out.

Currently, rail projects at ports are implemented by special purpose vehicles created by individual ports with the support of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. However, projects often get delayed under this model.

August 04-10, 2014 7InFRAstRUCtURe

The report is for institutional investors, real estate developers,

high net-worth individuals (HNIs) and

private equity funds which are open to

investment opportunities in the sector

Demand drivers of logistics sector

(Part 1)

Indian businesses for long have ignored the signif icance of the logist ics sector under invested sectors in the country. While logistics undertakes the cr i t ica l ro le of connecting production centres with consumption markets, inefficiencies in managing it could lead to a severe disruption in the entire supply chain network.

In India, the experience with regard to the sector has not been very encouraging, thus leading to colossal losses during transportation, distribution and storage of goods. In order to attract fresh investment,

funds that are planning to participate in investment opportunities provided by the warehousing sector, but have limited understanding of the various nuances of the sector.

Detailed handbookAdditionally, the report also serves

as a detailed handbook for industry stakeholders such as warehouse developers, logistics players and government agencies. Considering this, the report has been divided into two parts, with the first part introducing the warehousing sector dynamics such as demand drivers, policies and regulations, business model, enabling infrastructure and emerging trends, among others.

The second part delves into warehousing markets of Mumbai and Pune with an exhaustive analysis on the existing warehouse locations, land cost feasibility, investor returns and emerging areas.

The need to quantify the size of the warehousing market in India has led us to estimate the total requirement for warehousing space from the period of 2014 to 2019. Moreover, the total warehousing space requirement is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9 per cent from 919 million sq ft in 2014 to 1,439 million sq ft by 2019.

The manufacturing sector will

continue to remain one of the biggest demand drivers with an annual requirement of 61 million sq ft of incremental space between 2014 and 2019.

Single biggest challengeEven today, acquiring a feasible

land that constitutes the largest component of a warehousing project is the single biggest challenge faced by investors in our country. Although rental values that a warehouse owner can charge are primarily driven by demand & supply factors, it is the land prices that are dependent upon multiple factors like development control regulations, infrastructure development and the best alternate usage of land.

This creates a mismatch between the return expectation of a warehouse developer and the ongoing market value of land. Such a situation arises when the growth in rental income is outpaced by the growth in land value.

A case in point is that of Wagholi in Pune, where residential development

has pushed land prices beyond the threshold of operating a feasible warehouse at the ongoing rentals. While rentals have remained low owing to the lack of demand and availabil ity of cheaper alternate locations, land prices have continued to rise due to the rub-off effect of residential development in the adjoining areas.

This has fur ther resul ted in investors achieving a sub-optimal return for warehouse development in Wagholi at the current land rate and rentals. Since rental value in a market is beyond the control of a warehouse developer, acquiring land at feasible cost takes centre stage when it comes to warehouse investment.

The table depicts the current land rates and rentals in each of the major warehousing markets of Mumbai and Pune. The table also illustrates the feasible investor returns that can be achieved, though subject to the mentioned land rates and rentals.

Even though an investor can avail returns up to a maximum of 20 per cent per annum in most of these markets, there are certain markets where achieving a 12 per cent return is still not feasible.

Investment in a warehouse can provide an opportunity of realizing returns in the range of 12 per cent-20 per cent per annum to investors wil l ing to explore this sector. Currently, one of the biggest challenges facing an investor is the

Total warehousing space requirementCAGR

Total additional space required from

2014-2019

Annual additional space required from

2014-20192014 (E) 2019 (P)

Manufacturing 631 939 8% 307 51

Consumption 76 115 9% 39 8

Exim** 211 386 13% 174 35

Total Warehousing 919 1439 9% 520 104

Demand for Warehousing Space in India (million sq ft)

Feasible investor return in Mumbai and Pune warehousing markets

(E) – Estimated (P) – Projected CAGR **The entire area of the Inland Container Depot (ICD) is considered including covered and uncovered portion of land

Warehousing Market City Land rate(` mn./ acre)

Warehouse rentals(`/ sq.ft./ month)

Feasible investorreturn per annum

Bhiwandi Mumbai 15 - 40 9-15 12% - 16%

Rasayani-Patalganga Mumbai 18 - 25 17 - 18 12% - 20%

Nadhal-Khalapur stretch on NH-4 & Pen-Khopoli Road Mumbai 15 - 25 15 - 16 12% - 20%

Palaspe Phata Mumbai 55 - 65 23 - 24 Upto 12%

JNPT Road, Chirner Road& Uran Mumbai 45 - 55 20 - 21 Upto 12%

Shedung Bokharpada stretch on NH-4 Mumbai 37 - 45 17 -18 Upto 12%

Taloja-Kalamboli Mumbai 60 - 70 12-14 Below 12%

Chakan Pune 22 - 35 18 -24 12% - 20%

Chakan-Shikrapur Road Pune 15 - 18 15 - 18 12% - 20%

Wagholi-Lonikand-Sanaswadi Cluster Pune 19 - 38 14 -18 12% - 16%

lack of understanding of the various nuances of this sector.

Hence, the goal of this report is not only to familiarize the reader with the various aspects of the Indian warehousing industry but also to provide an actionable advice on the investment opportunities available in the current scenario.

(Continued in next issue)(Courtesy: Knight Frank India )

an in-depth study is needed on the various intricacies of this sector with special emphasis on the demand, feas ib i l i ty and investor re turn aspects.

Role in smooth functioning The logist ics sector can be

broadly classified into three areas -- transportation, distribution and storage. In India, the transportation and d is t r ibut ion sectors have traditionally been a part of many studies with numerous reports and findings affiliated with the sectors. However, i t is the storage and warehousing sectors that have mainly remained under-researched.

A l t hough the wa rehous ing segment constitutes only 15 per cent-35 per cent of the total logistics costs, its importance cannot be ignored with respect to the role it plays in the smooth functioning of a supply chain network.

Hence, we have intentionally focused only on the warehousing segment of the logistics sector in this report with a definitive view on the key warehousing markets of Mumbai and Pune.

A similar study on markets such as the National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata will be published in our forthcoming report in coming months.

The report is primarily targeted towards institutional investors, real estate developers, high net-worth individuals (HNIs) and private equity

August 04-10, 2014 8ReAL estAte

There are firmly established as well as quickly growing IT-driven property

locations that command the limelight among

end-users and investors alike

Pune’s IT-centric investment hotspots

constantly by the Hinjewadi IT Park, and Aundh was the first area to seriously benefit from it.

Aundh enjoys a propitious location which catches the demand from central Pune as well as the IT-driven demand for homes close to Hinjewadi. Due to its advantageous placement in the Western Corridor, its accessibility to various other hot pockets of the city and the presence of good civic and social infrastructure, Aundh continues to be one of the most sought-after locations for a majority of Puneites.

While it has many contenders in the form of nearby areas such as Wakad, Aundh has established itself a priority port of call for many of Pune’s well-heeled IT professionals who value its generous availability of shopping outlets, high-grade restaurants, proximity of Pune University and excellent connectivity to central Pune as well as Mumbai via the expressway.

WakadWhile Aundh was the first area to

gain significantly from the IT boom in Pune, its development potential

to the city. After Pune’s IT boom began taking off in earnest, the city was expanding with a new focal point called Hinjewadi.

Aundh was the first area to gain significantly from this, but could cater to the demand for housing only to a certain extent. Baner was propitiously located to catch both the spillover demand from central Pune as well as the new IT-driven demand for homes close to Hinjewadi.

Initially, Baner was able to cater to the mid-income housing segment. However, a new profiling for this area began taking shape as it became an established address. A host of major developers such as ABIL, Pride Group, Kumar Properties, Javdekar Developers, Amit Enterpr ises, Kalpataru, Rohan, Paranjape and Supreme began venturing into the premium segment and began luxury homes with superior designs and amenities at Baner to address the demand from the high-income IT clientele. This also began affecting Baner’s average residential pricing dynamics.

CharoliCharoli is an emerging location in

the northern part of Pune which has several advantages working for it. The increasing number of professionals from the IT and manufacturing / industrial sectors in Pune has triggered escalated demand for mid-income housing in the city.

To cater to this demand, developers are exploring new peripheral regions in the city. The quest to meet the demand for affordable, yet strategically located homes in the northern region of Pune is resulting in fresh locations like Charoli on Pune’s real estate map.

As the latest entrant in this part of the city, Charoli is strategically located near Pune’s Lohegaon airport and is all set to capture a significant share of the demand for affordable housing in this region. Charoli is advantageously placed to catch the spillover demand emanating from Vishrantwadi as well the new IT and

developers with projects in this region.

Pimple Nilakh receives the spillover demand from Aundh and Baner as well as from Pimpri-Chinchwad and some of the industrial-driven demand from Talegaon. A significant number of commercial establishments around this region have proven beneficial by triggering the overall development at Pimple Nilakh. With current residential prices ranging between Rs 5,750-7,000 per sq ft and steady appreciation of approximately 15-20 per cent per annum, prices have effectively doubled there in half a decade -- a fact that has not been lost on investors.

Pimple Saudagar, RahataniLocated on the western periphery

of Pune, Pimple Saudagar has seen increasing demand from IT/ITeS-centric home buyers. As soon as the residential market of Aundh began to saturate, end users started looking up for spaces that would fit in their budgets

Information technology has proved to be the most important lodestone for boosting and also re-defining real estate demand in India’s cities. The IT/ITeS sector provides massive, well-paid employment opportunities in cities with appropriately educated and trained workforces such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Because of the higher purchasing power and more evolved tastes of home buyers from this segment – and the kind of supply that crops up to cater to these factors -- locations that cater to their demand eventually feature property valuations that are higher than the average benchmark for a city. However, most IT-centric hotspots in a city tend to have a modest start and catch up in the pricing steeple-chase only as the area develops.

In Pune, we now have firmly established as well as quickly growing IT-driven property locations that command the limelight among end-users and investors alike.

Kalyani NagarKalyani Nagar has emerged one of

the most prominent and established commercial and residential real estate destinations on the Eastern Corridor. Its strategic location between Koregaon Park and Viman Nagar and its proximity to the airport, railway station and close connection to Kharadi and Hadapsar makes it an ideal destination for IT/ITES companies. The Pune-Mumbai Expressway has been another major contributing factor.

It was given a head-start by Dr Neelkanth Kalyani – owner of various notable companies like Bharat Forge and Optronica – after whom it is named. Today, it is a hotbed of information technology activity and has come a long way as one of the most upmarket residential property destinations. It is home to up-market hotels and boasts of a golf course as well as prestigious social establishments.

The unstoppable tide of the IT and ITES-BPO segments has completely reinvented property landscape at Kalyani Nagar. High grade residential property options have sprung up all over. Amongst all the above-mentioned localities, Kalyani Nagar’s rate of development is by far the fastest. Judging solely on the basis of property market potential, the Estate Agents Association of Pune voted Kalyani Nagar to be one of the most promising localities.

AundhAundh’s real estate market in both

the residential or commercial segments has retained the ace position among Pune’s suburb for quite some time. The demand for properties in both categories witnessed an upsurge when Pune’s IT boom began, taking off in all earnestness and residential pr ices in cent ra l Pune began increasing rapidly, leaving no scope for mid-income housing projects. The demand from IT and ITeS-related office and residential spaces in the Western corridor was being fuelled

diminished rapidly under the onslaught of a relentless spate of projects. With reduced development, price appreciation also reached a certain level of stagnation in this market. Soon, the limelight shifted and Wakad, became the next investment location for mid-income housing on the city’s Western periphery.

Located in the highly-developed PCMC area, Wakad has a host of positive market drivers to keep its real estate market vibrant. With its proximity to Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the thriving IT hub of Hinjewadi, as well as its accessibility from the PCMC industrial area, Wakad now attracts a lot of young end-users in the age group of 30-40. For this reason, it has become a new focus for property investors, as well.

Residential property prices in Wakad currently range between Rs 5,500-6,000 per sq ft, and a host of developers such as Kalpataru, Rohan, Kolte-Patil, Pristine, Kasturi and Javdekar are catering to the demand for homes from the mid-income segment.

BanerBaner emerged at a time when

residential prices in central Pune were on a new high and potential buyers and investors were on the hunt for affordable options that did not mean compromising on overall connectivity

WagholiLocated on the eastern periphery

of Pune, Wagholi has evolved into one of the city’s important suburbs. About half a decade ago, the area was mostly dominated by local industries along Nagar Road. Like Hadapsar, it has now successfully shed the usually resilient image of ‘industrial area’ and is gaining prominence as a residential destination of note.

Thanks to its strategic location on Nagar Road, Wagholi provides very good access to the existing and upcoming commercial establishments in Kharadi, Hadapsar and Bund Garden. It further benefits from market drivers such as its proximity to Pune airport, accessibility to the thriving eastern IT hubs of Magarpatta and Kharadi as well as the Shikrapur-Chakan industrial belt. The demand for homes in Wagholi is primarily driven by professionals from the city’s IT and industrial professionals.

Influencing factors like affordability, improving social infrastructure and the presence of good educational institutions such as schools and engineering colleges are generating considerable interest from end-users and investors in this location. Moreover, Wagholi is now scheduled for inclusion within Pune’s municipal limits, which means that water and electricity supply will be regularized.

corporate-driven demand for budget homes close to Yerwada, Viman Nagar and Kalyani Nagar.

The real estate boom continues to unfold on Nagar Road, a region for which proximity to Pune airport has always been a major growth catalyst. Charoli enjoys various other location pluses such as fast access to the railway station (which is just 11 km away) and the fact that the IT hub at Kalyani Nagar is only 9 km away.

Pimple NilakhPimple Nilakh, located in the western

part of Pune, is a suburb of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and is a growing residential hub. Among the fastest-growing of the areas neighbouring the Hinjewadi IT hub, Pimple Nilakh has experienced a steep increase in property rates on account of the dominant IT culture in the Western region. It is seeing high demand from both end-users and investors.

The market drivers at Pimple Nilakh include proximity to Mumbai-Pune Expressway and its proximity to established areas of Baner and Aundh, where property rates have more or less peaked beyond the affordabil i ty of the mid-income segment. Names such as Goel Ganga, Kolte-Patil, Sagar Properties, Nico, NSG Group and Vasupujya Corporation number among the

and Pimple Saudagar soon saw rapid development. Players such as GK Associates, Sukhwani Constructions and Wadhwani Constructions are heavily in the fray with mid-income housing projects.

Pimple Saudagar enjoys all the primary market drivers that lend vibrancy to the entire western region of Pune. It currently patronized mainly by end-users and is only beginning to attract serious attention from investors. At property rates ranging from Rs 5,200-5,700 per sq ft and annual appreciation of 13-15 per cent, this region presents very good options for home buyers who are also focused on healthy investment growth.

Rahatani, yet another emerging suburb of the PCMCP, is a residential hub catering mainly to the affordable housing segment. Due to its proximity to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the manufacturing belt of the west, Rahatani receives a lot of demand from the IT and industrial sectors. Current prices range between Rs 4,800-5,300 per sq ft and appreciation has been to the tune of 12-14 per cent.

sanjay Bajaj Managing Director, Pune, JLL India

August 04-10, 2014 9eQUIPMent

Vikas Chadha new MD for Honeywell Automation India

Process Solutions (HPS), a Honeywell business that supplies automation control, instrumentation and services to process manufacturers in industries such as oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, and metals, minerals and mining.

In this role, Vikas is responsible for strategically leading various divisions of Hail for continued growth in the region, and strengthening the brand and its equity with customers and other key stakeholders. He will also provide strategic direction and operational leadership to the HPS India business.

Vikas joined Honeywell in August 2009 and has progressed through roles of increasing responsibility, most

On account of muted profitability prospects Bajaj Finance has decided to walk out of the construction equipment (CE) financing business.

“We have been very cautious about the business for over 18 months. Now, we have decided to exit it fully, looking at it from the profitability perspective,” said the Pune-headquartered company’s Chief Executive Rajeev Jain.

The CE port fol io, which the company is carrying, is not too large and will fully mature in the next 15-20 months, he said.

“We have not suffered in the business and are not shutting it because of any specific problems in the credit. It is the lack of profitability with no chances of a turnaround, due to which we have taken this decision,” he said.

He said the low ticket sizes, where the average of a loan stands at Rs 18-19 lakh, coupled with the low margins make the business not so exciting from the profitability perspective. As against the overall gross non-performing assets ratio of 1.13 per cent, its gross non-performing assets ratio for the construction equipment

The 20,000th Bobcat telehandler rolled off the production line at the manufacturer’s Pontchâteau plant in Loire Atlantique in France recently. The landmark unit was welcomed by an official ceremony attended by the site’s 200-strong workforce.

Xavier Larroque, telehandler products manager, and Laurent Gicquel, Pontchâteau plant manager, presented the keys of the new Bobcat T40180 to its purchaser, the Manuco dealership from the suburbs of Rouen.

Bobcat, in its statement, said production at Pontchâteau continued to go from strength to strength. The manufacturer forecast sales growth of 15 per cent and a 17 increase in turnover for 2014, compared to 2013.

It added that around 51 per cent of revenues came from the rental

recently as regional general manager for Honeywell Building Solutions (HBS), an integrated building management solutions business within Hail.

His leadership enabled HBS to grow in the region and reinforced HBS’ position in the integrated building management solutions area in India.

Vikas’ successful career track record spans over 20 years, featuring experience in strategy, consulting, business and people management roles. He holds a post-graduate programme degree in management (majors in finance and marketing) from the Indian School of Business (ISB) and bachelors in electronics engineering from Delhi College of Engineering.

segment was around 4.5 per cent. Loans given under the construction

equipment financing are for asset purchases like earthmovers, concrete mixers, etc, he said.

It can be noted that a slew of banks, including ones from the private sector like HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank, have in the past reported stress on their CE books and have been cautious on the sector.

Lenders blame a majority of worries on the sector to the stress faced by the economy with low growth, which has resulted in a ripple effect and affected growth in several sectors, including infrastructure.

Moreover, lack of clearances for infrastructure projects and also some judicial interventions, which have held back projects, has also affected the sector.

Jain said the company is going slow on infrastructure lending as well and hinted that it may decide to withdraw from this segment as well.

He said the company has already stopped financing large infrastructure projects and does only a select few of them at present.

and construction sectors, as well as general industry.

Underlining its optimism in the market, Bobcat said it planned to make improvements to the Pontchâteau site in 2014 to boost production and take advantage of strong demand for Bobcat’s French-made telehandlers.

Larroque said, “80 per cent of our production is exported. Apart from France, we have a strong presence in Eastern Europe, Germany and the Middle East.”

The manufac ture r sa id the Pontchâteau site produced 12 different Bobcat telehandler models, with lifting heights from 5 to 18 m.

It said it planned to introduce a new generation of machines, continuing the trend set by the TL360 and TL470 models with Stage IIIB engines and T40140 and T40180 construction industry models launched last year.

Honeywell Process Solutions a p p o i n t e d V i k a s C h a d h a a s Managing Director for Honeywell Automation India Ltd (Hail), and India country leader for Honeywell

Schwing Stetter India MD Anand Sundaresan elected

President of EFSI

The Employers Federation of Southern India (EFSI), a representative body for employers in the country, has elected Anand Sundaresan,

Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Schwing Stetter India, as President of the EFSI during its 94th AGM which took place recently.

Sundaresan, who takes over from Ramesh Datla, Managing Director, Elico Ltd, will be responsible for implementing progressive initiatives towards further improving employer-employee relationship. AS Girish, Head HR, Apollo Tyres Ltd, was elected as Vice President of EFSI for the year 2014-15.

On the occasion Sundaresan said, “The new government in the Centre focusing on policy reforms will create huge employment opportunities, especially in Southern India and

Tamil Nadu where the government is undertaking various development and infrastructure improvement initiatives, with emphasis on employee welfare. The EFSI will play a very important role in improving employer-employee relationship in Southern India.”

Sundaresan comes with over three decades of experience in various Indian and multi-national companies. He joined Schwing Stetter India in 1999 as Executive Director and became Managing Di rector in January 2002 and Vice Chairman & Managing Director in 2013. In addition, he is also the Vice President of the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (Icema).

Potain tower cranes building $3.8 b dam in Laos

A team of 19 Potain tower cranes are building new hydropower mega project -- the 1,285 mw Xayaburi dam in northern Laos. The cranes are working 24/7 on the eight-year project, which will create an 820 m long dam across the Mekong River.

Potain is one of the leading suppliers of lift equipment for dam building projects with several of its cranes central to the construction of China’s Three Gorges dam, the world’s largest

dam in terms of installed capacity and one of the highest profile projects of recent years.

The success of the highly ambitious Xayaburi project will depend largely on the performance of Potain cranes. Their primary task is to place Roller Compacted Concrete at a rate of 250 m3 per hour. Handling much of this work are two Potain MD 1600s. These giant 64 t capacity tower cranes are fitted with Potain’s top-belt concrete

Bajaj Fin may exit CE finance business

20,000th telehandler from Bobcat

placing system which combines the benefits of a powerful crane with a concrete conveyor belt, which extends 25 m beyond the jib end, enabling each crane to pour up to 600 t of concrete per hour at a radius of up to 105 m.

The concrete placing system was one of the main reasons why Potain cranes were chosen for the demanding project. Manitowoc and partner Nippon Conveyor created the solution, combining Nippon’s belt conveyor system and the high capacity Potain MD cranes. The concept was first used on the Three Gorges dam and was later employed on the Longtan gravity dam, also in China, and the Sesan dam in Vietnam.

Thamnoon Surara t , p ro jec t manager at main contractor CH, Karnchang PCL, said that Potain’s experience in dam building made the company a trusted partner for the project.

“Potain provided the best solution for us and the company’s Lifting Solution department has a wealth of experience in successful dam construction that gave us confidence that our own project will be a success,” he says. “Manitowoc’s Lifting Solution department and Potain’s dealer, SB

Siam, worked closely with us to design, implement and maintain a unique set-up that will work consistently in harsh and humid conditions with tight deadlines and a demanding work schedule. Everything is moving ahead as planned and we are delighted with the cranes.”

All of the Potain tower cranes were supplied by SB Siam, Potain’s dealer for Thailand. Working in unison, tower crane experts from Manitowoc in France and Singapore, together with SBS, provided the unique solution to the project, including erection and maintenance to ensure the cranes operate at maximum efficiency day in, day out.

Alongside the two Potain MD 1600s at the Xayaburi dam are 17 other Potain tower cranes, some of which were manufactured at the company’s Zhangjiagang factory in China and others at its facilities in Moulins and Charlieu in France.

The Potain cranes were erected between March and August 2012. The cranes are strategically positioned

to give every square meter of the construction site at least 3 t of lifting capability.

The Potain tower cranes at the project represent much of the company’s top-slewing tower crane range.

As well as the MD 1600s, which are rigged with full 80 m jibs and offer a height under hook of 92 m, there are two MC 205s, four MCT 385s and 11 MC 310s. These MC and MCT models offer capacities from 10 t to 14 t and are pouring Conventional Vibrated Concrete, as well as lifting general construction materials, such as formwork and rebar.

The 14 t capacity version of the MCT 385 topless tower crane offers a maximum jib length of 75 m, at which it can lift 3.2 t. Potain’s MC 205 B is a 10 t capacity tower crane that can work with a 60 m jib and lift 2.4 t at jib end. The Potain MC 310 is a 12 t capacity that has a maximum jib length 70 m jib and can lift 3.2 t at jib end.

August 04-10, 2014 10ReAL estAte

Vastushodh forays in low-cost housing for

senior citizens

Pune-based Vastushodh Projects, player in the affordable housing space, announced the launch of ‘SukhGram’, the affordable housing scheme for senior citizen. Pricing of homes at ‘SukhGram’ would range between Rs 10-35 lakh depending on the location.

‘ S u k h G r a m ’ w i l l b e a n independent gated community within ‘AnandGram’ and ‘UrbanGram’ projects of Vastushodh with specially designed homes and infrastructure that will support assisted living.

“While building our ‘AnandGram’ and ‘UrbanGram’ projects we came across a lot of senior citizens who were approaching their retirement age and wanted to buy a flat with us that was well within their budget and which could be bought from their post-retirement benefits. This need gap prompted us to get into affordable housing for senior

Mahindra World City Sez bags IGBC Stage I

certificationMahindra Lifespace Developers,

the infrastructure division of the $16.5 billion Mahindra Group, said its Mahindra World City township has bagged Stage I certification under the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Green Townships. Mahindra World City, the Sez of Mahindra Lifespace Developers, is situated at nearby Singaperumal Koil.

“This certification is a validation of our vision to promote sustainable urbanizat ion by decongest ing existing cities and offering the right balance between life, living and livelihood”, said Mahindra Lifespace Developers, Integrated cities and Industrial clusters, CEO Sangeeta Prasad.

Mahindra World City, Chennai,

Tatas to tread realty path to re-enter Bengal

Shriram strikes deal to buypart of AVM studio land

Buy one villa, get one apartment free

The Tata Group is coming back to Bengal with an initial investment of Rs 600 crore. Tata Housing Development Company, the housing and infrastructure arm of Tata Sons, has entered into a joint venture with Kolkata-based Keventer Group for a luxury housing project in Alipore. Tata group didn’t desert Bengal after the Singur episode. “It would come back at the right moment,” Ratan Tata had said in Kolkata in September 2012 while addressing his last AGM (of Tata Global Beverages) as chairman of the $100 billion multinational. Twenty two months later, the group has kept its promise. It will also be

Shriram Properties Ltd, a part of the $15 billion diversified Shriram Group, has struck a landmark real estate deal with the family of the legendary film producer A V Meiyappan. Shriram’s real estate unit has entered into a preliminary agreement with AVM Balasubramanian, one of the five sons of Meiyappan, to pick up economic interest in about 6.5 acres of prime land at Vadapalani in Chennai, which is part of the complex housing India’s oldest surviving film studio AVM.

Until recently, property developers were attracting buyers by offering, say, a modular kitchen or car park for a concessional rate or free. But Modern & Creative, a unit of Martin Group of companies, is tempting buyers to purchase villas at Ganapathy in Coimbatore by offering an apartment at Saravanampatti for free. This is a no-strings attached offer, with no requirement for buyers to take part in any contest.

“With new developments proving hard to sell, and inventory aplenty, we decided to come up with this offer,” says Charles Martin, Managing Director, Martin Group. The group

the first Tata project in the state under the leadership of new chairman Cyrus Mistry.

Tata Housing will hold 51 per cent in the JV while the remaining 49 per cent will be with Keventer. To start with, it would develop a three-acre land parcel near Alipore. A source close to the development said the company initially plans to develop half-a-million sq ft and expects to generate revenue of over Rs 1,000 crore.

Earlier, Tata Housing had formed a consortium with Keventer to bid for CTC land in Tollygunge. However, the state government is yet to declare

The developer plans to build 700,000 sq ft residential projects on the land. Valued at just under Rs 400 crore, the land parcel represents Balasubramanian’s share of the AVM Studio.

Sources citied earlier said that the deal would be structured in two parts, where Shriram Properties will buy half of Balasubramanian’s land for about Rs 180 crore and jointly develop the remaining half with him.

intends to restrict this offer to 20 bookings.

The villas, priced at Rs 1.55 crore each (excluding registration fee), will have a built-up area of 2,100 sq ft. The project, located at Ganapathy, is coming up on 6 acres of land. “We intend to develop 99 plots. Of these, 32 plots have been earmarked for construction of row houses in the sub- Rs. 50 lakh range and the rest will be promoted as premium villas. We will do 28 villas in the first phase. Construction is yet to start, but from the date of commencement of this project, it will be completed in 12-14 months,” explained Martin.

is the first township to be awarded Stage I certification under IGBC Green Townships. It was evaluated on four environmental categories as defined by IGBC, including site selection and planning, land use planning, transportation planning and innovation in design and technology, said the statement.

the name of the selected bidder. Commenting on the announcement, Brotin Banerjee, MD & CEO, Tata Housing Development Company, said, “We believe this is the right time to increase our footprint of quality land parcels in city centres of major metros as the demand will start picking with improvement in macro economy by the end of this year. This joint venture is in line with Tata Housing’s vision to expand their presence in the fast-growing segment. Tata Housing has always believed in setting a benchmark in the real estate industry with luxury and ultra-luxury projects.”

citizens,” said Sachin Kulkarni, MD, Vastushodh Projects.

The first ‘SukhGram’ will come up at ‘UrbanGram’ Pirangut site and will house over 200 homes for senior citizens with option like Studio Apartment (400 sq ft), 1 BHK (650 sq ft) and 2 BHK (850 sq ft). It would also have a special guest house with eight rooms for the convenience of guests who will visit the residents of SukhGram, said the company.

“Vastushodh will form a separate entity that will offer the required support services at ‘SukhGram’, t h e s e s e r v i c e s w i l l i n c l u d e healthcare services with a day care centre, preventive maintenance of homes and other infrastructure, housekeeping, secur i ty, food, entertainment, emergency services and concierge serv ices,” said NitinKulkarni, Director, Vastushodh Projects.

Realty players to help frame policies for smart cities

The Indian real estate players are helping with their suggestions in framing policies for 100 smart cities in the country proposed by the new government. “Smart cities are on table...it will take up some more time to formation. But still it poured a lot of positive sentiments in the real estate sector. At this time, we are trying to contribute in framing the policy by sending suggestions to the Prime Minister’s Office,” said Abhay Kele, Chairman & Managing Director, Prithvi Edifice.

“The real estate market has traditionally been an un-organized and fragmented one. But, we have witnessed the influx of international technologies and materials in the

building industries in cities l ike Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai,” said Srinivas Ammanabrolu, Vice President, Living Walls, Bengaluru.

Ammanabrolu ci ted the use of modular form work, Austrian technology for bricks, gypsum plaster that are being used commonly these days than five years ago. Building designs and architectural finishes in the Indian real estate projects have been improving in recent years, said the executives.

They noted a significant change in the usually lacklustre but profit-oriented real estate sector, pointing out that developers are hiring international designer architects and planning new things. While the industry is waiting

for more details on the plan for smart cities, the executives have stressed on the importance of technology in the development of facilities.

“It is important to use technology and adapt to difficult situations,” said Vvikas Aroraa, director of marketing and sales, Runwal Group. He cited the challenges in redevelopment in crowded south Mumbai and called for innovative ways for project implementations. However, most of the developers are still set on older practices while architects continue to press for a big change in project implementations, given the massive housing development and urban re-development required in the country.

August 04-10, 2014 11InteRnAtIOnAL

Bechtel, Network Rail’s expansion of Reading station on schedule

Bechtel and Network Rail have successfully completed the massive expansion of Reading train station in England—one of the busiest stations outside London—on schedule and within budget.

The work was carried out over four years as a major part of the £895 million Reading Station Area Redevelopment programme. The track layout outside the station has been improved to ease congestion and the station’s capacity has been doubled, allowing it to cater for up to 30 million passengers a year, which is forecast by 2030. The new station was formally opened on July 17 by Queen Elizabeth II.

“This project was complex given that we were working on an operational rail system. However, careful planning and dedication ensured that we were able to get the job done right, safely,” said Ailie MacAdam, Managing Director

of Bechtel’s global rail business. “Collaboration between Network Rail, train operators, passengers and other stakeholders was essential to the success of Reading station’s transformation.”

Reading station now has an additional five platforms; lifts and escalators to make it easier to get around the station; two station entrances connected by a new passenger transfer link bridge; and a new train depot.

The station has also been able to increase its timetable with an extra four passenger trains per hour and six freight trains per day. The official opening of Reading station represents a significant milestone in the station

T h e A r e a R e d e v e l o p m e n t programme, with the overall set of enhancement works, is set to complete in Spring 2015, a year

LA Metro awards contract for Purple Line

phase-1 Metro has awarded a $1.6 billion

contract to a joint venture of three construction firms, Skanska, Traylor Bros and JF Shea or STS to begin construction of first phase of the of Purple Line Toward Westside.

Last month, the Metropolitan

Transpor ta t i on Au tho r i t y had recommended that STS be awarded the contract to build the 3.9-mile project. The extension will take the line from its terminus at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue to Wilshire and La Cienega boulevards.

It would include underground stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega. The extension work is slated to be completed in October 2024, according to Metro. The Westside Subway Extension wil l extend westward for about nine miles with seven new stations. It will provide a high-capacity, high-speed, dependable alternative for those traveling to and from LA’s ‘second downtown’, including destinations such as Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, Century City, and Westwood.

Strabag wins €130 m expressway contract in PolandA consortium of two Strabag

subsidiaries has secured a €130 million contract for construction of a part of S7 expressway in the east of Kraków, Poland. The S7 expressway section, known as Trasa Nowohucka, will stretch between Rybitwy and Igolomska.

It is aimed to absorb traffic from national road 79 in three years, and divert it to the A4 motorway between Katowice and Rzeszów. The construction work on the site is planned to start in August or September and will last for three years.

Under the contract, the companies will construct and upgrade 18.6 km stretch of road, including the 4.5 km long expressway with two carriageways consisting of three

lanes each as well as 1.6km of national road.

The contract will also see the construction of on- and off-ramps as well as six f lyovers and five bridges. In addition, tram lines will be modernized. The new section of

highway will cross two districts of Kraków -- Podgórze and Nowa Huta and will form part of the expressway that is planned to connect Gdansk in the north and Rabka-Zdrój in the south of Poland.

ahead of the original baseline plan. “Reading is now a state-of-the-art station, future-proofed to cope with more than double its current number of passengers,” said Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s infrastructure projects regional director, Western and Wales.

“ R e a d i n g s t a t i o n a n d t h e surrounding area has been one of the worst bottlenecks on the British railway network, and the station is a major part of the programme of works to reduce this.”

Bechtel was selected by Network Rail in 2009 to provide project management serv ices for the £3.1 billion Crossrail and Reading programme, which aims to upgrade key parts of the UK rail system.

A global leader in the rail industry, Bechtel has successfully delivered some of the largest and most complex rail projects in the world, including the

Channel Tunnel, High Speed 1, San Francisco Bart system and the Athens Metro. It is currently

working on Crossrail and Vauxhall Underground Station both in London, the Riyadh Metro, the Rio de Janeiro Metro, and the Dulles Metrorail extension outside Washington, DC.

Queensland’s first light rail system unveiled

Wales to build new motorway in Newport, UK

Ashghal opens 9 km Dukhan Highway Central in Doha

Stage 1 of Queensland’s first light rail system worth $1billion has been unveiled by the transport and main roads minister Scott Emerson in Australia. Delivering a world-class public transport system for the city centre, the Gold Coast light rail encompasses 13 km and links key activity areas along the Gold Coast from Parklands to Broadbeach with 15 at-grade stations and one

The Welsh government has floated tender to build £800 mill ion M4 Corridor extension around Newport. In order to tackle local congestion on the M4 relief road, the government plans to build a new stretch of three-lane motorway to the south of Newport.

The existing M4 between Magor and Castleton will also be reclassified as a non-motorway. An additional new connection between the M4, M48 and B4245 is expected to provide relief to Junction 23A and to

The Public Works Authority of Qatar, Ashghal has opened the Dukhan Highway Central connecting from Sheehaniya Interchange to Al Rayyan Stadium Roundabout, which will enhance the traffic flow between Dukhan and Central Doha.

Touted to be an important section of the road network in Qatar, the Dukhan Highway replaces the old Dukhan Highway which consisted of two lanes in each direction.

Dukhan Highway Central stretches from Sheehaniya Interchange to Al Rayyan Stadium Roundabout. It provides local access to the community through two-lane service road and the driving speed has been limited to 120km p r hour to increase the safety of road users.

Dukhan Highway Central project, which commenced in the second quarter of 2011, consists of a dual

underground station. Arup was the lead design consultant for Stage one of the project, which took two years to complete.

The Queensland government contributed $464 million to the project, while the Australian government contributed $365 million and the Gold Coast City Council provided $120 million, with the GoldLinQ consortium also investing in the project.

the local road network as well. The aim of the new contract is to

publish draft orders in spring 2016, with plans to hold a public inquiry in winter 2016/2017 and commence construction during 2018-spring. The £800 million scheme, originally proposed in 1991, was dropped by the government in 2009 due to increase in costs to £1 billion. The motorway construction is expected to be completed by autumn 2021, with overall project completion expected to take place in spring 2022.

carriageway with four lanes in each direction, service roads and a cycle, and includes the construction of 15 km of a new highway. The highway will start from west of the existing Al Wajba Interchange and end east of the town of Al Sheehaniya.

Two underpass interchanges at New Wajba, and Al Dehailiyat Army Camp will also be constructed as part of the project, which is part of Ashghal’s Expressway Programme, that plans to build a highway network stretching over 980km and including more than 10,000 km of lanes and more than 240 intersections.

In addition, ‘Rawdat Rashed’, a major multi-level interchange will be constructed at the junction of Celebration Road to accommodate access to Al Rayyan Stadium, Mall of Qatar and other construction projects in the area.

August 04-10, 2014 12

events

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August 9, 2014ManexeITC Kakatiya, HyderabadManexe is a 1-day event being held on August 9, 2014 at the ITC Kakatiya in Hyderabad. This event showcases various products and services related to the manufacturing industry and more, etc in the building construction industry. Contact: The Confederation of Indian Industry, 203-204, Sears Tower, Gulbai Tekra, Near Panchwati, Ahmedabad

August 15-17, 2014BACE Expo (Building Architectural Construction & Engineering Symposium & Trade Show)Milan Mela Ground, Kolkata BACE Expo will be held for three consecutive days at Milan Mela Complex, Kolkata. The key industry players and market leaders will discuss about modern tools and technology associated with the building and construction sector. Participants will discuss about growth of the real estate sector and build strategic business alliances with manufacturers and dealers. The prospects of some of the major construction projects in Kolkata will be highlighted. Some of the products that will be displayed include ceramic and stones, elevators, escalators, bath and sanitation. Contact: Ask Trade & Exhibitions Pvt Ltd, Flat 307, Alsa Towns Ville,170/38 Arcot Road, Valasaravakkam, Chennai

August 15-18, 2014Construction Architecture & Interior ChennaiChennai Trade Centre, ChennaiThe show is a 4-day event being held from August 15 to 18, 2014 in Chennai. This event showcases various products and services as well as equipment related to construction, architectural firms and interior design, latest designs and technologies and more in Building Construction, Architecture & Interior Designing. Contact: I ads and events Pte Ltd, 61, 1st Floor, Gold Towers, 50 Residency Road, Bengaluru.

September 11-13, 2014The Big 5 Construct IndiaBombay Convention Centre, MumbaiIt will provide the ideal platform for influential architects, contractors, consultants and engineers to share ideas about innovative construction tools and services. Contact: DMG: Events. PO Box No 33817 Dubai, UAE

October 4, 201419th One Full Day WorkshopThe Institution of Engineers (India), Mahalaxmi, Mumbai Workshop on Jirnoddhara of RCC buildings which contains Structural Audit, Upgrading (House - Keeping, Regular Maintenance, Repairs, Rehabilitation); Fixing Leakage and Waterproofing of existing RCC buildings and a total new concept to construct RCC durable buildings without leakage with practicals on acrylic polymer-based flexible membrane waterproofing system. Contact: Jayakumar Jivraj Shah, Single Faculty Course Conductor, 203, Wing-B, Lakshmi Apartments, Corporation Bank Building, Behind Anand Nagar, Dahisar (East), Mumbai 400068. Cell: 919819242649 Phone: 28483541/9819242649 jjshah123123@rediffmail.com The Institution of Engineers (India), Mahalaxmi, Mumbai Phones: 022-23543650/23542943 Mobile: 09820392726

December 4-6, 2014Ceramics AsiaGujarat University Exhibition Hall, Ahmedabad This event will be organized to enhance that potential by bringing industry professionals from different corners of the world under one roof. Ceramics Asia is going to be organized for three days at the Gujarat University Exhibition Center in Ahmedabad Contact: Unifair Exhibition Service Co. Ltd, Room 802-804, Daxin Building, 538 Dezheng North Road Guangzhou, China

December 15-18, 2014bC India ShowIndia Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida The International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines and Construction Vehicles-provides the international construction industry with a professional platform for the construction industry. Contact: B C Expo India Pvt Ltd, Lalani Aura, 5th Floor, 34th Road, Khar (West), Mumbai

Talking on the precast technology he said , “Technological innovation is the most suitable for manufacturing process; structural elements are produced from factories, which are strategically located. Moreover, precast offers speedy and cost effective solution for mass housing.”

In the session Girish Dravid, Director, Sterling Consultancy Services, emphaisesd planning, design, execution, maintenance in high-rise construction where approvals, capital mobilisation, cost benefit equation, approachability to the site, availability of expertise, market conditions are mandatory amenities.

He further elaborated desirable elements to be an important factor in high-rise buildings where sleek and slender structural members, simple forms, repetitive assembly line work,

constructible design and detailing, light weight construction are of prime importance.

“Consultants and contractors must be aware of the time and budget constraints of the project where the developer, consultants and contractors must strive to bring in emerging technologies for every aspect. Developer, consultants and contractors should act in a spirit of alliance rather than facilitators,” he said.

He added “Following the best industry practices such as interaction with fellow professionals will help in understanding tall building aspects beyond code prescribed norms.”

The seminar concluded with a session on new building material, where Pranav Desai- National Product Manager-Special Concrete, Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete India Pvt. Ltd. and Siddharth Dhond - National Product Manager – Morpla, Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete India Pvt. Ltd., presented new developments in ready mix concrete – value added products.

The seminar’s resourceful content blended together with new trends in buildings & construction industry –

right from policies, budget analysis, production, markets, etc. to project management, latest technologies, environmental role, and building materials, among others.

It served as a launch-pad for

d iscuss ion on new products , technology and innovations with respect to sustainable technologies and materials in the construction industry.

5th annual CIR seminar...(contd. from pg 2)