Our accomplishment has already impacted the road construction segment of Indian infrastructure! One of our clear intentions was to showcase that our quality, work, systems, workforce, infrastructure and overall management do not just match global standards, it is superlative in every sense.

Rajpath Infracon, true to its name, has been carving the ‘Royal Way’ in India’s infrastructure sector for 35 years. In a candid interview, Trupti Nayak, COO of Rajpath Infracon, shares the company’s remarkable journey, highlighting key milestones, Guinness World Records, and their commitment to nation-building.

Rajpath Infracon has an impressive track record of 35 years in the infrastructure sector. Could you share some key milestones and projects that have defined the company’s journey so far?

The 35 years of our journey are filled with both intensive and extensive experience of 60+ projects. Our initial focus was on irrigation projects with the State PWD, which laid the foundation of the experience and expertise to march confidently ahead. The direction began with a small lake project at Thoptewadi in 1990, followed by a couple of MI Tank projects, then came the work at Krishna River basin in 2003 and the Muchkundi Large Subsidiary Project with power outlet tunnel in 2004. Following this, the Mula right bank canals under the World Bank happened in 2009, with the construction of the Chandrabhaga Barrage in 2012. This established our reputation as a competitive and reliable project management company with a track record for before-time completion of its projects.

The opportunity to associate with road projects came in later on. Managing 8 HAM (Hybrid Annuity Mode) projects simultaneously, which allowed us to nail our first world record in 2021, followed by our Guinness world record in 2022, has eventually brought us to where we stand today. Today, we have commenced execution of a green field HAM project of NHAI worth Rs. 1200 Crores in Andhra Pradesh and are already ahead of our schedule.

“Building the Nation, beaming with pride” is your company’s motto. Could you elaborate on how Rajpath Infracon actively contributes to India’s social and economic progress through its projects?

We believe, building the Nation is not limited to just brick and mortar activities.Our motto stands and reflects a much larger cause than mere construction of dams or highways and bridges with beams and slabs. A more profound sense of responsibility is ingrained across the organisation, not just towards the community but towards environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

Several activities have been introduced over the years with the proactive initiative of the Management. Many such community services are also affected by our CSR activities. All these initiatives are performed continually, without a lapse. One such initiative is activities for women’s empowerment and support for small businesses. Health camps are conducted regularly for women at rural locations at various project sites. Motored tricycles have been provided for the specially-abled who have wanted to pursue a work opportunity. We have constructed community parks, student hostels, libraries, and safe zones to relax and rest for senior citizens; we have also adopted the town of Deolali Pravara in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra and catered to their requirement of canal construction to supply water for irrigation.

Our green initiative towards environmental protection is avidly expressed through our vigorous plantation drives at every project site. Sustainability is an oath we maintain by managing the waste to generate compost for our plantations to survive and thrive. Besides this, we have constructed 34 huge Farm ponds in the Amravati-Akola region in Maharashtra, which helped ease the dire condition of the local farmers during the harsh summer months and also helped raise the region’s water table. This won us prestigious recognition and an Award for ‘Rejuvenation and Conservation of Water Resources’ at the hands of Hon. Nitin Ji Gadkari, minister MoRTH, GOI.

Besides this, Raj Path Infracon sponsors the Championship event each year for worthy and commendable sports aspirants to display their talent at the state level with Maharashtra Athletics Sports Foundation. We also regularly offer bursaries covering the academic and living expenses of deserving and financially needy engineering students from rural backgrounds to ensure they take advantage of an opportunity to pursue their dreams and excel towards building the Nation.  

What motivated Raj Path Infracon to attempt the Guinness World Record for the longest stretch of bituminous concrete road? Can you tell us more about the challenges and preparations in achieving this feat?

Motivation has to be self-fuelled. Otherwise, it does not culminate into something noteworthy. To break the shackles of depression, negativity, and feeling futile, we dared and succeeded in registering our first world record of paving a bituminous concrete road of 39.691 km in a mere 24 hours in the Satara district of Maharashtra. This was achieved against all odds when the COVID-19 pandemic peaked.

As it seemed fated, this feat fuelled our next dare when the opportunity presented itself. Our patriotism was stimulated with the clarion call from our PM Narendra Ji Modi for the youth to dedicate some time to the Nation on the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mohotsav. Being a young organisation with young leaders, we decided to pave a bituminous concrete road of 75 km to commemorate the 75 grand years of Indian independence. Upon research, we realised this goal would also be eligible for a Guinness World Record.

The frenzied activity followed, establishing a group of think tanks and five months of intense micro-planning at the front and back end for the workforce, machines, finances, and nitty-gritty at the HO and site levels. Then, there was abiding by the formalities and conditions of the Guinness World Record office in London, which was the most challenging and crucial. The 75 km road was to be paved continuously, without interruption, or the effort would be derecognised! The 5-day ordeal would have to be monitored non-stop with drones, videography, photography, and documentation. Despite exhaustive strategising, there were unprecedented problems with our Paver, the scorching temperature in June, and even the rain. However, our contingency planning managed to see our attempt through these trials and tests without hiccups.

Being the first Indian private company in the road construction segment to register a Guinness World Records title is remarkable. How do you see this accomplishment impacting the infrastructure industry in India?

Our accomplishment has already impacted the road construction segment of Indian infrastructure! One of our clear intentions was to showcase that our quality, work, systems, workforce, infrastructure, and overall Management do not just match global standards; they are superlative in every sense.

We now know that there have been 17+ unsuccessful attempts all over the globe to break our record. We feel privileged to have inspired all these organisations to believe that something of this scale is possible and try it. We have created and established a sense of conviction and confidence in the infrastructure development industry of Bharat. By putting our nation on the global map, we have realised our intent to attract the attention of the world and players in the field towards the extraordinary capabilities of infrastructural development companies of Bharat, opening opportunities globally for growth. Last but not least, our accomplishment was an effort to firmly express steadfast support and commitment towards the national initiatives of Nation building like Gati Shakti and Bharat Mala Pariyojana and such visionary projects, being implemented by the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Ji Modi and the Honorable Minister of MoRTH, Nitin Ji Gadkari.

In the context of your diverse portfolio, which procurement and sourcing strategies have proven to be the most effective in achieving cost savings while maintaining quality standards?

Quality never comes cheap; it always has an associated cost. The sustenance comes with the correct information on product, pricing, and planning. Raj Path Infracon’s focus has been and will be, first and foremost, on the quality of work. There will never be any compromise on that. When the quality is a constant already, the variables we have to manipulate are potential vendors and deliveries.

Infallible planning keeps most things in place for us. That decides the downstream process of strategic sourcing. Optimising market research, supplier relationship spend analysis, and contract negotiation gives us the edge in procurement excellence. Most projects in road construction come with source approvals- such suppliers with a proven track record for quality products and timely delivery make it to the top of our lists. We treat them as our partners, and they also realise they are stakeholders in the project’s success when they shoulder the responsibility with us. Yes, the contract stays where it rightfully belongs, on paper, but the personal relationships propel continual progress in the procurement function at Raj Path Infracon. Repeat success with repeat suppliers results in more trust, better pricing, and a win-win situation. 

We understand that Raj Path Infracon plans to venture into dredging, railways, and waterways. Can you provide more details on these upcoming projects and their significance for the company?

Raj Path Infracon has come a long way in the past 35 years. It made an indelible mark with many successful irrigation projects. The next step was etching an identity as masters of highway construction. We have recently completed an airport project, too. So yes, as we are constantly innovating and evolving, we are not overly ambitious or in any great hurry to take on too much to chew. We are advancing and expanding slowly but surely. Like many others, we have never had to backtrack our steps to advance. This is because of insightful experience and building a firm foundation first.

As the need of the times, we have realised that our experience, energy, and expertise are priceless assets. This could be put to use successfully in any sector requiring project management. The underlying theme of our work will always Nation building. Railways, dredging, and waterways are all about projects for building Bharat’s infrastructural strength. Should a lucrative opportunity come our way, we shall most certainly choose to venture, but with due diligence and cognizance. We are also exploring options to diversify in the agro-based industry. There is no shortage of options for those passionate about their work, and success does not evade such an invincible spirit like that at Raj Path Infracon. It is all about being in the right place at the right time.