Civil contractors rely on tech to meet EPC norms

With the Andhra Pradesh government introducing EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract system in awarding irrigation works with the objective of arresting escalating project costs and ensuring speedy completion of works, contractors are looking at ways to further mechanise construction operations. They hope to meet the deadline and economise construction of projects.

Hyderabad-based Srinivasa Constructions Limited has imported a concrete conveyer belt placer at a cost of about Rs 5 crore from the US to be deployed in the construction of the 1,297-metre Pulichintala dam in neighbouring Nalgonda district.

According to D V Naidu, managing director of the company, the new machine would potentially replace at least 1,000 labourers. "Considering the dam length and the terrain, besides the given time constraint, we have no other way but to opt for new machinery in places where human labour is being predominantly deployed," he told Business Standard. The concrete placer can be lifted up to a height of 43 metres and offers easy maneuverability with a 360-degree rotational access.

The machine is capable of putting 120 cubic metres of concrete in an hour and 6-7 people are enough to operate it, Naidu said. To feed the machine, a crusher with 250-cubic metre per hour capacity and a batching plant (mixer) of 160-cubic metre capacity have been set up at the project site.

The company has emerged the successful bidder for the execution of the project by quoting the lowest cost at Rs 265 crore for the entire project. Along with Pulichintala, Srinivasa Constructions has got irrigation contracts worth over Rs 2,000 crore from the Andhra Pradesh government, which include Polavaram.

"Under the EPC system where the cost of the project would be fixed once and for all, construction companies could earn respectable margins only if they complete the projects in the shortest possible time. This needs foolproof planning and intensive use of modern machinery," Naidu said. His company is one of the few players with the experience in executing irrigation projects under the EPC system.

Under the EPC system, the company has executed a project near Raipur in Chattisgarh, which includes construction of a 'geted' barrage on river Mahanadi with a head regulator and a main canal with a link canal to provide water to over 2,000-hectare ayacut.

"We completed the construction of the barrage in seven months and are planning to hand over the project to the Chattisgarh government in March 2006," he said.