Precast Construction to the Rescue
As India speeds ahead with development and wants to become a global economy, there are many issues that are hampering the country’s progress. There is a growing demand for high quality building infrastructure - both in the residential and commercial space – and for buildings that are durable and affordable for both, the present and next generation of users. Getting capital financing for plants and machinery is still a big problem in India. Builders have to shell out a substantial investment and loans have higher interest rates.
Because of the lack of affordable and sustainable alternatives, the housing shortage has grown to unmanageable proportions. To address this problem, the government has set an ambitious target of constructing 11 million homes by 2022. But achieving this won’t be easy, unless one employs proven technologies like the precast, that offers both speed of construction and affordability.
In fact, the construction industry’s challenges can be solved with technologies such as Precast. Firstly, precast technology uses reinforced concrete, the cheapest raw material on the planet. Secondly, it is compatible with existing building codes and suited to seismic zones as India is prone to earthquakes. Thirdly, it is efficient due to its ability to save raw materials and manpower.
Precast technology can help to build India as a modern nation, but there needs to be greater recognition of the technology so that it becomes an integral part of the country’s infrastructure development efforts, and becomes an acceptable standard. This would enable the precast industry to access subsidies and support.
Elematic’s solutions are available even at low-costs, and as construction activities grow across India, so can a precast plant expand and enhance its capacities to meet the increasing requirements. The precast industry would welcome more architects and designers to come on board as their involvement would advance the cause of precast construction, such that it enters the mainstream as a standard means of construction by the builders and contractors. This move could also be supported by institutions and industry bodies.
Apart from providing housing for India’s growing population, precast can also be the answer to the rising demand for faster building of commercial properties, which, in turn, would bring faster revenues to businesses and help them grow fast. Precast construction takes less time than using traditional methods and since ‘time is money’, on-time project completion is very valuable to builders.
The next phase of the country’s development will be technology-driven. As more people begin to adopt precast construction, we will see the industry becoming more organized, with more efficient use of raw materials, machinery and manpower.
NBM&CW December 2020
