In the New Year, Nagpurians would be stepping into a new zone as North-South (Automotive-Sitabuldi-Khapri) Metro corridor would provide a seamless connectivity to further bridge the gap between North Nagpur and central parts of the city. Almost 90 per cent civil works along with paint job on 6.67 kms stretch of viaduct plus fly-over on Sitabuldi-Automotive stands completed, as Maha Metro looks to wrap-up first phase, said officials of M/s AFCONS who are executing the project. As one traverses on Kamptee Road the speed of execution of infrastructure work left one amazed since the year was marked by once in a century outbreak of pandemic. But overcoming the tough times, M/s AFCONS saw though the worst phase and the awards that adorn shelf at Chief Project Manager office at Automotive Square provide a glimpse into achievements.

 

For companies constructing such mega projects might not be a big task, challenge this time was however COVID-19 as the disruption was quite severe. However, as they say construction industry is made of a different mold one got to witness it in execution of work on Sitabuldi-Automotive stretch by Team AFCONS. Talk about it and eyes of Amarsinh Raut, Chief Project Manager, M/s AFCONS for Reach-2, Nagpur Metro, gleams in different glow as he sifts through tonnes of steel and concrete to provide a glimpse into dynamics of challenges that Team AFCONS overcame. First and foremost satisfaction, not a single person among the 2000 strong work force or from management team was afflicted by virus and that speaks volume about pro-active approach of the company officials

. "Human resource is our assets and we at AFCONS ensures they are taken care off," Raut opined.

 

He was all praise for the work force dynamism as they ensured that even the tightest deadlines sit lightly on AFCONS shoulders. Such was the co-ordination among the construction work force that we Managers were left spell bound at such swift execution of even most critical components on this corridor. For example, time cycle of wing erection per span was shortened to just nine days from earlier 28-days resulting in execution of 11 spans in a single month, as Raut listed some of the new standards set by Team AFCONS in construction of metro corridors. About 4 km of viaduct is handed for laying of tracks and from 4 km spine work corridor about 3.2 km is completed. Not to mention 2320 segments were completed well ahead of schedule that enabled swift launching and completing viaduct plus fly-over.

 

Similarly, one more new initiative on the corridor was level pier construction instead of conventional ground supported staging above NHAI fly-over pier cap. This resulted in time saving of 1.5 day per location during construction of viaduct and for company also it was savings of 165 cubic metres of steel. No doubt there were few tense moments when a large work force went back home during lockdown leaving Managers with task of executing the work in that tight deadline. But given the professionalism of our work force, even this moment passed off without any eventuality as not a single incident occurred during the construction phase nor the execution of project lagged.

 

Raut said there is a double decker viaduct of 5.3 km on Automotive route, the longest in country, as it supports metro plus fly-over that sits on single piers. The co-operation received by AFCONS from various from citizens of North Nagpur was most critical aspect of beating the deadline. The company also responded to public support by adjusting alignment of viaduct to avoid cutting down trees at Kadbi Square and near Indora. Also a temple at Teka that was needed to be demolished as it was coming in way of alignment but not a single objection was raised during its demolition. "We responded by reconstructing the temple at adjacent road site in record time and in a way it was AFCONS thank you gesture to Nagpurians for their support in critical times", Raut said.

 

 

Work of Gaddigodam 4-layer transport system to start soon Only hiccup on Sitabuldi-Automotive route however is the ambitious four-layered transport system at Gaddigodam, most critical part of the Metro project. Had not for this missing link one would seen metro rail rolling on the route by mid March, 2021. But owing to multiple challenges work on this sector is kept for execution in the last stage as this type of mixed transport system is first of its kind in country. And since M/s AFCONS is tasked with constructing four-layered traffic system, road below the underbrdige, then railway bridge, above that a fly-over and on top the viaduct for metro rail, the construction would stretch almost till end of November 2021, said Amarsinh Raut while talking to The Hitavada.