FAST TRACK CONSTRUCTION

OF PROJECTS
Case Study - Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro
Power Project
By P&S Department, Dated
24.07.2009
 PESENTATION BRIEF

◦ Experiences
Aspects for timely execution of projects
Case Studies of TVHPP
◦ Conclusions
◦ Recommendations
KEY ASPECTS FOR TIMELY
EXECUTION
◦ Geological Investigations
◦ Land Acquisition
◦ Shifting of Structures
◦ Infrastructure Inputs
◦ Resistance to blasting
◦ Use of Latest Technology
◦ Timely decisions in coherent
manner
INVESTIGATION PHASE
Proper and adequate investigation
averts delays during execution stage
by:
• Choosing best methodology of execution.
• Avoiding geological surprises.
• Making realistic designs and estimates
thereby avoiding contractual
complicacies in later stages.
• Proper investigations backed the decision
of deployment of TBM at TVHPP thereby
crashing the construction period.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
o Knowledgeable & Trained Land
Acquisition team.
o Effective R&R Policy
Implementation.
o Creation of Infrastructure
o Use of Latest Technology to
reduce execution time and
mitigate environmental concerns
 LAND ACQUISITION
◦ Liaison with State Departments helps
in speedy approval of land
acquisition and other proposals.
◦ Liasion office has been established in
Dehradun (State capital) to expedite
the proposals.
◦ Know How of land acquisition
procedures to the executives
engaged in ground work is crucial.
◦ Trained Patwaris were hired to help
in ground works.
 R&R WORKS
◦ Community development works
were finalized in consultation with
local bodies.
◦ Medical camps helped in
developing good-will.
◦ Community development works
helped villagers in terms of
facilities and job.
◦ Co-operative societies of the
same village were involved for
CD works of a village.
 R&R WORKS
◦ Shifting of Structures to ensure
unhindered progress of work
and to avoid inconvenience to
population using the structures.
◦ Crucial structures like Temples,
Govt. Inter College, Ayurvedic
hospitals, suspension bridges
and houses were to be shifted
from Barrage area.
SHIFTING OF STRUCTURES
◦ Public was educated about the need of
shifting.
◦ All Govt. bodies and local bodies like
Panchayat, Youth club, Mahila Mangal Dals
etc were taken into confidence.
◦ Alternative arrangements were made prior
to shifting of original structures.
◦ Due respect was paid to local population’s
sentiments with the structures especially
Temples.
◦ Special care taken to maintain the original
architecture of ancient temples to be
shifted.
◦ Works of construction of new structures
and removal/shifting of old ones was
RELOCATED ANCIENT
TEMPLE
INFRASTRUCTURE INPUTS
Approach Roads:
◦ Agencies like BRO & PWD are
available at the start of the project
to commence approach works.
◦ Our experience –
They are not good at maintaining
schedules.
After the award of main packages, the
approach roads should be included in
main packages.
All approach roads should be concrete
paved to avoid problems during monsoon
INFRASTRUCTURE INPUTS
Construction Power:
◦ Construction power is crucial for
execution especially when we are
using technologies like TBM & Road
Header.
◦ Augmentation of Power network was
done from Srinagar to Joshimath.
◦ Un-reliability of power was
hampering progress.
◦ To tackle the voltage fluctuations in
peak hours, OLTC transformer is
installed.
◦ Contract should have provision for
 INFRASTRUCTURE
Before the completion of land
acquisition activities, residences
and offices are accommodated in
hired buildings.
As an early solution Pre-fabricated
offices and porta-cabins are being
used as site offices.
Phased construction taken up for
Township. Phase -1 of prefab
structures for office & Bachelor
accommodation has been
started.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Use of Latest Technology to
reduce execution time
 USE OF LATEST
TECHNOLOGY
◦ Location & No. of Adits:
Normally 12 km long tunnel needs 2
intermediate adits due to lead distance and
ventilation considerations.
Deployment of TBM obviated the need of 2nd
adit and this HRT needs only 1 intermediate
adit resulting in time & cost savings.
◦ Selection of Excavation methodology:
Mechanized tunneling such as TBM and Road
header have been used.
A conference was held in Delhi and decision
to deploy TBM was taken after elaborate
discussions with TBM suppliers.
TBM gives 3-5 times the progress rate of
conventional excavation.
TBM & Road Header cause less vibration and
pollution and provide much safer working
 USE OF LATEST
TECHNOLOGY
◦ Selection of latest Equipment:
Drill Jumbos being used for drill & blast
and rock bolting operations provide
better progress & efficiency.
High capacity excavators and dumpers
for faster excavation and mucking.
Grabs are being used for excavation of
cut off wall
Raise climber being used for inclined
Pressure Shaft excavation.
Raise Borer deployed for pilot bore and
reaming of surge shaft excavation.
 USE OF LATEST
TECHNOLOGY
◦ Raise Borer deployed for Surge shaft
pilot boring and reaming.
◦ Offers higher progress rate, pilot
bore completed in 3 days and
reaming completed in 12 days.
◦ Excavation of Surge Shaft close to
populated area by this technology
caused practically no disturbance to
adjacent population.
 RESISTANCE TO BLASTING
The project faced a major obstacle by
people alleging that the blasts for
excavation are causing cracks in their
houses. This was motivated by
experience of nearby Vishnuprayag HPP.
To tackle the issue:
◦ Local administration taken into
confidence,
◦ Frequent interaction & communication
with villagers and representatives,
◦ An investigation on impact of blasts on
the structures in project vicinity carried
out by independent agency which gave us
clean chit.
 TIMELY DECISION IN
COHERENT MANNER
Speed of project depends on the
speed of decision making
Decision to change the alignment of
Chormi Adit approach road. New
alignment:
Is 3.5 km long against earlier planned
of 8.5 km.
At least 20 ha land acquisition is
avoided, resulting in direct saving of
approx Rs. 25 Cr. and also saving of
land acquisition time.
Also serves as approach road to SFT
outfall resulting in time & cost saving.
Provides much shorter approach
between 2nd and 3rd adit of HRT thereby
improving the accessibility and ease of
supervision.
 APPROACH TO CHORMI
ADIT
Barrage Site

Intake (3rd ) Adit

Portal

Alignment - 2

Chormi (2nd ) Adit Portal

Proposed alignment
-1
The decision to introduce third adit
near Intake end of HRT
◦ The decision resulted in:
Early opening of front – Before the
opening of front of 2nd adit approx. 1 km
excavation of HRT from this new adit is
achieved.
Considerable gain in time & cost.
Construction of Part of Third adit
through separate contract
◦ Construction of part of third adit was
awarded to M/s Highway & Hydel on
31.08.06.
◦ Main HRT package was awarded to
M/s L&T AM JV on 28.11.06
◦ Thus awarding this small contract
helped in early start of work.
◦ Before the mobilization of HRT
agency:
Approach up to the adit was completed.
Open excavation was completed.
Part of slope protection works were
completed.
Decision to shift the location of TBM
adit
◦ Earlier location involved major
support works with huge amount of
overburden to be removed.
◦ The overburden was likely to disturb
the NH 58 which is lifeline of
Joshimath Town.
◦ A calculated risk was taken by
shifting the Portal location closer to
ridge line.
◦ The decision involved well good co-
ordination in Site & Engineering.
◦ Decision involved a lot of survey &
geological appraisals and need of
Decision to shift the location of TBM
adit
Earlier
Location
Final
Location
HRT
 TBM assembly in Two Phases
◦ Against the area requirement of
15X235m for TBM assembly, area
available was 10X70m.
◦ An innovative decision to assemble TBM
in 2 phases was taken.
◦ First- Adit was excavated up to 130m
chainage
◦ After part assembly of TBM up to BU #
11, TBM was pushed up to the face and
TBM excavation was started.
◦ At Ch. 294m, TBM was stopped and
Assembly up to BU # 21 was completed.
Decision to change the alignment of
approach road to Surge Shaft Top.
New alignment:
◦ Involved only 200m length (against
1km) of fresh construction thereby
resulting in cost saving.
◦ This shorter length involved very small
blasting and hence found no hindrance
to work.
◦ The road is being used by the villagers
too thus the strengthening of road is
giving goodwill to NTPC among PAPs.
◦ The strengthening works were
executed through PAPs resulting in
improved relation with the village.
◦ Pilot hole and reaming of Surge Shaft
completed well within scheduled
time besides cost saving.
APPROACH TO SURFGE
SHAFT

Proposed Alignment
1

Existing Road to Shelong Alignment - 2

Village
Decision to include approach road to
Pressure Shaft Intermediate adit in PH
package:
◦ BRO and PWD were unable to take up
the work due to other priorities in the
district.
◦ Decision to include road in PH
package resulted in:
Utilization of equipment and mobilization
of agency saving NTPC from idling claims.
Saved a lot of time of award &
mobilization.
Started Pressure shaft excavation from
intermediate adit before schedule.
SELECTION OF GOOD

CONTRACTOR

WITH WORKABLE RATES

Experience with SSJV - ZVS
◦ SSJV-ZVS emerged as L1 and got the
Barrage & De - Silting Basin package of
TVHPP.
◦ Due to unprecedented rise in rates of Steel
& Cement, the rate of concreting items
became unworkable.
◦ Situation got aggravated by coinciding
financial meltdown of Satyam group.
◦ Barrage package is suffering.
◦ A better formula to compensate for such
unusual price hikes of steel & cement
should be developed.
◦ Employer bears the market fluctuations
where Cement & Steel are provided by the
employer.
 CONCLUSIONS
◦ When it comes to Fast Track
Execution of Hydro Projects, speed of
decision making is crucial
◦ Investment in geological
investigations give high returns.
◦ Geologists are the insurance policy
of project.
◦ Hydro Projects are generally
constructed in scarcely/less
populated areas where even small
group of people can affect the
progress.
 CONCLUSIONS
◦ Selection of good contractor with
workable rates is a must.
◦ Efficient construction methodology
and latest technologies reduce
construction time.
◦ Innovations should be encouraged.
◦ Capturing of best practices through
initiatives like this is also important.
◦ And the most important…
A highly motivated and enthusiastic
team of professionals.
 RECOMMENDATIONS
Following can help in fast track project
implementation:
Effective R&R policy and
implementation.
Accommodations to be constructed in
early phases of project.
Mechanism for compensating unusual
hike in rates of steel & cement.
We should be open to revisions in
construction methodology even at the
cost of revision in TS.
Designers should pay regular visit to
 RECOMMENDATIONS
◦ Following can help in fast track project
implementation:
Agency for survey and geological
investigation should be available during
construction phase.
Dispute resolution mechanism is a must
for Hydro.
TOC should be accompanied with Engg.
Team & designers for effective
implementation of their suggestions.
Construction power network should
choose alignment involving least land
acquisition & Forest patches rather than