Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport, has embarked upon a journey to make BLR Airport a one-stop location for exotic, endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna.

Every project is unique and has its own challenges which result in delays and cost overruns.

At the moment, we estimate the market to be around 130 million square metres. And we expect this to potentially double within the next five to six years. So maybe we are talking about 200 million square metres. This is also the reason why we have moved into India as we see good potential in this market segment. We are aware that there are some challenges involved.

Notwithstanding the tremendous potential to expand revenues, general lack of awareness about the benefits of using geosynthetics might delay projections set by firms in the sector. However, despite challenges, growth is eventually inevitable.

The Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) unveiled with great fanfare earlier this year was expected to set off the next wave of award of PPP highway projects. The intent and purpose of introducing HAM, as a hybrid of EPC and BOT (annuity) formats, was noble and deserves to be lauded: to moderate risks faced by highway developers and to provide financial support during construction.

Zawtika marked a regional form of globalisation in offshore EPC, involving Myanmar, Thailand and India with utilisation of Omanese facilities, Norwegian, UAE and Singaporean barges, and personnel from around the world. Understandably, supply chain and safety management provided a challenge to the EPC contractor L and T. SK Mukerji and K Bagchi explain.?

Each road project is unique in terms of the risks and challenges it encompasses and thus the approach towards each project including the risk management shall also have to be equally unique in order to effectively address the risks involved. Vikash Khandelwal discusses the various types of insurance that cover for roads and highway projects.

Till July 2013, state-run firm Steel Authority of India (SAIL) invested Rs 42,101 crore out of the proposed Rs 61,870 crore it plans to spend on modernisation and expansion of its existing facilities. Through this investment, the company plans to raise its crude steel production capacity to 21.4 million tonne per annum (mn tpa) from 12.8 mn tpa now

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is to use new materials and techniques in National Highway projects in the country on experimental basis to promote innovation and use of new technology in highway construction. The promoter of these new materials shall be required to bear the extra cost involved in the proposal.