The modular system can be assembled easily too. Key bolts are provided to connect the different panels in the formwork structure. Once they are fixed correctly the formwork is safe and ready for use, says Manikandan Mahalingam, General Director, Paschal Form Work (India) Pvt Ltd.

With the continued rise in infrastructure projects, how do you think it will benefit the Scaffolding & Formwork industry?
Formwork plays a vital role in any construction segment. It also helps in timely completion of projects. Since all the projects are time-bound hence formwork systems help in getting the job done in less time without compromising on quality.

In the current set of infrastructure projects, there is a lot of scope for formwork industry, more so, in railway or highway projects. Rail and road crossings tend to be a death knell for humans, cattle and other creatures. In such accident-prone areas, projects, a lot of importance is given to safety for humans and animals to avoid accidents while crossing the track or road, so the formwork industry has come up with some solutions to provide safety precautions. Efforts are now being made to cover such areas with a RCC wall in order prevent trespassing and minimise loss of life.

What is your take on cost-efficiency and safety practices while using Scaffolding & Formwork for the construction of a project?
Paschal Modular systems have a longer shelf-life and they are also DIN compliant. The systems can be used for multiple projects. The installation procedure too is easy, not to mention the safety features. The modular system can be assembled easily. Key bolts are provided to connect the different panels in the formwork structure. Once they are fixed correctly the formwork is safe and ready for use.

Technologically speaking, what are some of the unique features of your products?
At Paschal, we are driven by technology and innovation, some of the unique features of our products include:

Paschal Ident: Paschal is always innovating new ideas and technologies. All our products are enabled with an RFID chip to track product efficiency and usage without any error.

Paschal Matrix: Based on the realtime analysis of the concrete strength, the optimal time for dismantling is determined. As a result, the number of defects due to early dismantling is reduced. On the other hand, there are no unnecessary waiting times during the concrete maturity phase.

The user receives a convenient notification as soon as the target value has been reached or if there is too much difference in the internal temperature. To guarantee the best possible concrete quality, the concrete temperature can be controlled and adjusted from any location using heating and cooling systems.

What according to you were some of the major takeaways from the recently passed Union Budget? The budget has allocated Rs 1,18,101 crore, the highest ever outlay, for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, of which Rs 1,08,230 crore is for capital expenditure. Under the BharatmalaPariyojana, with an estimated investment of Rs 5.35 lakh crore, already 13,000 km of roads worth.

Rs 3.3 lakh crore have been awarded for construction. A large amount of money has been earmarked for ongoing and new economic corridors/expressways, and Rs 1,10,055 crore have been allocated to the Railways, of which Rs 1,07,100 crore is for capital expenditure with a promise to complete 100 per cent electrification of broad gauge routes by December 2023).

Economic corridors being planned:
• Rs 1.03 lakh crore outlay for 3,500 km of NHs in Tamil Nadu
• Rs 65,000 crore investment for 1,100 km of NHs in Kerala
• Rs 25,000 crore for 675 km of NHs in West Bengal

Over Rs 34,000 crore to be allocated for 1,300 km of NHs to be undertaken in the next three years in Assam, in addition to Rs 19,000 crore works of NHs currently in progress in the state.

Flagship Corridors/Expressways:
• Delhi-Mumbai Expressway – Remaining 260 km to be awarded before 31.3.2021
• Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway – 278 km to be initiated in the current FY; construction to begin in 2021-22
• Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway – 63 km expressway providing an alternate route to NH 27 to be initiated in 2021-22 • Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor – 210 km to be initiated in the current FY; construction to begin in 2021-22
• Raipur-Vishakhapatnam – 464 km passing through Chhattisgarh, Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh, to be awarded in the current year; construction to start in 2021-22
• Chennai-Salem corridor – 277 km expressway to be awarded and construction to start in 2021-22
• Amritsar-Jamnagar – Construction to commence in 2021-22
• Delhi-Katra – Construction will commence in 2021-22

Kindly share a few guidelines to enhance the lifespan of scaffolding and formwork in use?
When a client purchases our product, our technical team effectively guides them on how to get the best out of the product.

There are set of defined steps involved in the process like
• Cleaning the formwork and applying the right form release agent before each use
• Educating the workers on how to use and handle the formwork
• Proper mock-ups and pep talk for the workers and contractors
• To make them aware of how it is important and how it is different
• To ensure proper maintenance at regular intervals

Since formwork is a capex material, maintenance of the formwork material is important to ensure it can function efficiently in the long run. Paschal is committed to providing the best service for its customers. At our Visakhapatnam factory, we have a refurbishment facility to support our clients with cost-effective solutions. Our products are designed to last for 20 years and we encourage our clients to get their product checked at the facility once every four years. This ensures that the functional efficiency of the product is not reduced.