Maheshwar Rao, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), heads the organisation which is the first in India to use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor tracks. The train’s AI technology will assess the condition of the track and if any anomalies are detected, it triggers alerts through AI software to the operation control centres (OCC) via the train control and management system (TCMS) making it safer. Initially, the AI system will be deployed on the Yellow Line but BMRCL plans to have the same feature on other upcoming lines that will have driverless trains. The technology is expected to be fully operational by September 2024. The AI system, fitted on the pilot train, has personnel from various teams such as rolling stock, traction, signalling and track maintenance on board. This train, compared to regular services, runs at a reduced speed to thoroughly examine all obstacles and potential issues along the route. The Yellow Line of Namma Metro, which began in 2017, has 16 elevated stations and covers a distance of 18.8 km.

Abhyuday Jindal, MD, Jindal Stainless Steel (JSL) is at the helm of affairs in the company which inaugurated India’s first Green Hydrogen stainless steel plant. The Green Hydrogen plant in Hisar, Haryana, which will pave the way for sustainable steel production, was commissioned by JSL in a 25-year contract with Hygenco Green Energies. The facility is controlled by an advanced energy management and control system and Hygenco is operating the plant under the build-own-operate (BOO) model. This project will also be the world’s first green hydrogen plant with rooftop and floating solar equipment which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 54,000 tonnes over the next two decades. The alkaline bipolar electrolyser, which has a capacity of 350 Nm3/hr, guarantees an average 90Nm3/hr round-the-clock supply of Green Hydrogen using dedicated solar energy and storage.  

 

Sourabh Bansal, co-founder and Managing Director, Magicrete, heads the company which successfully completed India’s first mass housing project in Ranchi using the 3-D modular precast construction system. This project, which was completed within 18 months includes 1008 dwelling units and demonstrates cost parity with traditional construction methods while significantly reducing construction time by up to 40 per cent. This not only makes housing more accessible but also showcases the potential of precast concrete technology to revolutionise the construction industry in India. In terms of materials, the project used Portland Slag Cement with a high percentage of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS), reducing the carbon footprint by about 60 per cent. Additionally, M-sand replaced traditional river sand in concrete production, contributing to sustainability efforts.