Moderator

Spending in the infrastructure sector is estimated to grow many folds in the future. With large projects such as smart cities and dedicated freight corridors, what does it take to complete large complex projects? 

NEERAJ BANSAL, partner and head – ASEAN
corridor and real estate sector – KPMG, India

The execution of infrastructure projects is increasingly becoming dependent on international funding. This means that projects need to meet delivery deadlines. India has tremendous capacities, but needs to develop skills. Project managers need to take more ownership and show leadership. The international community, along with companies, must share equal responsibility in developing skills.

ALAIN SPOHR, managing director, Alstom India
and South Asia

International projects in Malaysia and Singapore have been an eye-opener for me. Some of the key motivators I saw abroad were work ethic and the understanding of roles and responsibilities. I witnessed advanced project management skills, proper planning, and different tools being used for different project types. There is an understanding of the complete project management cycle — from design to delivery. To become more efficient and effective, India needs to drive change management, inculcate project management in the work culture, and spend time on developing people’s skills.

BRIJ NANDAN YADAVA, executive director,
DLF Limited

Funding is changing the nature of project management in the country. India faces delays in project delivery as the old institutions are not equipped to deal with mega investment projects. The development of technology is too rapid. India needs to devote ample time for project preparation. Despite the number of skilled people in India, the government lacks human resources for huge projects.

ASHOK KUMAR, senior highway
engineer, World Bank, India

Railways remain a top choice for freight movement. The Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi and Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi sectors carry 60 percent of freight weight. Hence a dedicated corridor for freight is being developed with World Bank funding. As the funding is from an international agency, good project management is required. However, project management remains a constraint. Land acquisition, one of the biggest challenges, was mitigated by the creation of a new authority for it. New contracting strategies and good practices have been introduced to ensure timely project delivery.

AJIT KUMAR MISHRA, chief project manager,
Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India,
Government of India