Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Wednesday, 18 October 2023

Gadkariji : Solution is hiding in plain sight

 


Context :

NHAI facing difficulties in preparation of DPRs as companies not ready to accept new technology: Minister Nitin Gadkari

{  Zeebiz / 17 Oct 2023 }

Extract :

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is facing difficulties in the preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs), as companies concerned are not ready to accept new technology, union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

The road transport and highways minister said that the government is encouraging the use of new technologies.

Addressing the 'CRISIL India Infrastructure Conclave 2023', he said big players in the steel and cement industry are indulging in cartelisation to jack-up prices.

"... The steel industry and cement industry... Whenever they get the chance, they make the cartel and increase the rate," he said.

According to Gadkari, rating of companies who make DPRs is a big challenge. "The preparation of DPRs is a big problem for NHAI... There is no perfect DPR anywhere in any project," Gadkari, who is known for his frank views, said.

"While making DPR, they (companies engaged in DPR making) are not ready to accept new technology, new innovation, new research and even the standard of DPRs are so low that everywhere (there is) additional scope of work," he said.

Talking about high logistics costs in India, he pointed out that in India, logistics cost is 14-16 per cent, compared to 8-10 per cent in China.

 

Dear Shri Gadkariji ,

You say : “ There is no perfect DPR anywhere in any project “

I would be surprised – and feel very sad – if your comment also covers any DPR submitted by L&T  !

These days, while submitting any DPR , whether L&T ALSO submits corresponding PERT chart or not , I would not know . But I do know that L&T used this project management technique, some 40 YEARS ago , when it set up its first Cement Plant at Awarpur in 1981-83

The project covered HUNDREDS of “ Activities “ , - some running parallel and some running sequential . For each activity , ESTIMATED TIME ( for completion ) , had to be decided

At that time, there were no Computers . Everything had to be computed using some very rudimentary hand-held, calculators . And then , a PERT chart was generated MANUALLY, by plotting ALL the activities on A 1 size papers, which were taped together ( like a jigsaw puzzle ) and then pasted on a wall of the project office.

That PERT covered 10 feet x 30 feet of that wall !

All through the day – and the night - , Site Engineers would come running to the project office with latest data about %age completion of those activities which were going on. An engineer , standing on a sliding staircase , would UP-DATE the PERT chart !

Although the Project Manager ( Mr B Nangrani ) would frequently visit various construction sites, he had a BIRD’s EYE view of the entire project, sitting in front of the PERT chart. Based on the “ slack “ or “ Over run “ of time for any activity, he would phone up the concerned Site Engineers , and give instructions for deploying / redeploying the RESOURCES , to speed up the activities concerned . This would continue late into the night !

No wonder , L&T commissioned this 1 Million ton plant within the stipulated TIME ( 2 years ) and COST ( Rs 70 crores )

I retired from L&T , 33 years ago and have no idea if L&T still uses PERT ( or MS Project Management Software ) , for its Infrastructure Projects but considering its TRACK RECORD , I bet it does !

May be it “ feeds “ all the activities , along with the “ estimated times “ to an AI tool and just gets AI to develop relevant PERT chart , in matter of minutes !

And I am certainly not letting out any secret , if I think that , by feeding the DPR , L&T’s  AI tool , even calculates :

Ø  Project Cost

Ø  Project Time

 

Dear Shri Gadkariji ,

I urge you to go through my following earlier emails and implement the suggestions made therein

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  /  19 Oct 2023

 


Past E mails sent to Cabinet Ministers / NITI Aayog :


Project monitoring using PERT ……………………………….. 07 May 2016

 

Project monitoring……………………………………………………… 05 Mar 2016

 

Project monitoring is not difficult………………………………. 08 Dec 2015

 

Ease of doing business………………………………………………… 27 Jan 2015

 

Infra Projects : How to control TIME/COST over-runs.. 05 June 2022

 

 Nothing prettier than PERT ! …………………………[ 04 Dec 2015 ]


Thank You, Dear Prime Minister ……………………….[ 13 Oct 2021 ]


No More Delayed Projects ? ……………………………….[ 26 Aug 2021 ]


Monitoring Projects in Real-time ? …………………….[ 11 Aug 2020 ]


PERT for Digital Dashboard…………………………………[ 27 Feb 2018 ]


Remembering Admiral Rickover ! ………………………[ 04 June 2017 ]


Thank You, Dear Prime Minister ……………………….[ 13 Oct 2021 ]


No More Delayed Projects ? ……………………………….[ 26 Aug 2021 ]


Monitoring Projects in Real-time ? …………………….[ 11 Aug 2020 ]


PERT for Digital Dashboard…………………………………[ 27 Feb 2018 ]


Remembering Admiral Rickover ! ………………………[ 04 June 2017 ]

 

 

  

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