Technology

Connecting borders

Published

4 years ago

October 19, 2021

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Built at a cost of Rs 34.47 billion by IRB Infra, the 189.6-km Goa-Karnataka border highway project is an important north-south highway link on India?? western coast with a concession life of 28 years.

The 189.6-km Goa-Karnataka border-Kundapur four-lane highway project has been recently commissioned by IRB Westcoast Tollway, the SPV of IRB Infrastructure Developers. Part of NH-17, the stretch is an important north-south highway link on the western coast of India. Built at Rs 34.47 billion (including viability gap funding of Rs 5.36 billion), the project has a concession life of 28 years. The company had bagged this project under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-4 on design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis.

Construction milestones

Before the four-laning of the project, the time taken by buses to reach from Karwar to Kundapura was eight hours ??now, it takes just four hours. Thus, by widening the existing highway, travel time is reduced drastically, besides benefits such as lesser wear and tear of vehicles and reduction in fuel consumption to a great extent, thus achieving pollution control.

This project is a peculiar one that passes through plain, rolling and hilly terrain. It has tunnels and major challenging structures over perennial rivers. ??dentification of the bottlenecks and converting these into the achievement of the target through proper planning from the site level to the management level was crucial to complete the project in time,??shares ML Gupta, Joint Managing Director, IRB Infrastructure Developers.

Civil specs and scope of work

The project has a service road of 61.26 km, 17 major junctions, six minor junctions, 83 cross-road junctions, 14 major bridges, 39 minor bridges, 573 culverts, four flyovers, three vehicular underpasses, 13 pedestrian underpasses, six cattle underpasses, two road-over-bridges, one road-under-bridge, two twin tunnels, three toll plazas, four truck lay byes, and 53 bus bays and bus shelters.

??he safety measures for the project were carried out as per the provisions under the Concession Agreement; for example, proper diversion boards, provision of blinkers and barricading construction zones, among others,??says Gupta. Safety measures are in place and monitored 24×7 to avoid any mishap to users of the project.

Construction methods

At the heart of the project are the technologies, equipment and machinery deployed for construction. The better and more appropriate the machinery, the speedier the progress of the work, enabling completion in the stipulated timeframe. ??e had deployed jack-up rigs for the geotechnical investigation, which facilitated speedy work, along with cantilever construction gantries for construction of the large-span bridge on Kali River, launching girder on barges at Sharavathi River and the use of precast girders for other bridges,??elaborates Gupta. ??lso, hydraulic piling rigs were used along with conventional rigs.??Further, high-quality materials have been used in construction, which will increase the life of the structures and highway, and result in maintenance cost reduction during the O&M period.

Major challenges

Major challenges involved the construction of the major bridges across the major perennial river and the construction of the twin tunnels. ??his could be completed owing to the deployment of advanced machinery and special construction techniques,??says Gupta. He adds that construction of the road by hill cutting to the extent of about 50 m depth and keeping the existing road traffic-worthy was another major challenge, which was overcome with a combination of advanced technology and rich domain knowledge.

Considering the geographical and topographical conditions, construction was the toughest job, says Gupta. The project had witnessed major challenges involved in highway engineering, such as the construction of major bridges spanning up to 120 m each close to the Arabian Sea; 1.2-km-long bridges over the perennial river; tunnel construction in both hard and soft rock; and rock cutting for 60 m height and cutting in lateritic hill for about 50 m height. Indeed, it took IRB Infra?? experience and expertise, spanning over two decades, to overcome all these challenges, delivering world-class highway infrastructure for the coastal regions of India.

– SERAPHINA D??OUZA

Technology

ARAPL Reports 175% EBITDA Growth, Expands Global Robotics Footprint

Affordable Robotic & Automation posts strong Q2 and H1 FY26 results driven by innovation and overseas orders

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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Affordable Robotic & Automation Limited (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics firm and a pioneer in industrial automation and smart robotic solutions, has reported robust financial results for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2025.
The company achieved a 175 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone EBITDA and strong revenue growth across its automation and robotics segments. The Board of Directors approved the unaudited financial results on October 10, 2025.

Key Highlights – Q2 FY2026
• Strong momentum across core automation and robotics divisions
• Secured the first order for the Atlas AC2000, an autonomous truck loading and unloading forklift, from a leading US logistics player
• Rebranded its RaaS product line as Humro (Human + Robot), symbolising collaborative automation between people and machines
• Expanded its Humro range in global warehouse automation markets
• Continued investment in deep-tech innovations, including AI-based route optimisation, autonomy kits, vehicle controllers, and digital twins
Global Milestone: First Atlas AC2000 Order in the US

ARAPL’s US-based subsidiary, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), received its first order for the next-generation Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklift from a leading logistics company. Following successful prototype trials, the client placed an order for two robots valued at Rs 36 million under a three-year lease. The project opens opportunities for scaling up to 15–16 robots per site across 15 US warehouses within two years.
The product addresses an untapped market of 10 million loading docks across 21,000 warehouses in the US, positioning ARAPL for exponential growth.

Financial Performance – Q2 FY2026 (Standalone)
Net Revenue: Rs 25.7587 million, up 37 per cent quarter-on-quarter
EBITDA: Rs 5.9632 million, up 396 per cent QoQ
Profit Before Tax: Rs 4.3808 million, compared to a Rs 360.46 lakh loss in Q1
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.1854 lakh, representing 216 per cent QoQ growth
On a half-year basis, ARAPL reported a 175 per cent rise in EBITDA and returned to profitability with Rs 58.08 lakh PAT, highlighting strong operational efficiency and improved contribution from core businesses.
Consolidated Performance – Q2 FY2026
Net Revenue: Rs 29.566 million, up 57% QoQ
EBITDA: Rs 6.2608 million, up 418 per cent QoQ
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.5672 million, marking a 224 per cent QoQ improvement

Milind Padole, Managing Director, ARAPL said, “Our Q2 results reflect the success of our innovation-led growth strategy and the growing global confidence in ARAPL’s technology. The Atlas AC2000 order marks a defining milestone that validates our engineering strength and accelerates our global expansion. With a healthy order book and continued investment in AI and autonomous systems, ARAPL is positioned to lead the next phase of intelligent industrial transformation.”
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Pune, Affordable Robotic & Automation Ltd (ARAPL) delivers turnkey robotic and automation solutions across automotive, general manufacturing, and government sectors. Its offerings include robotic welding, automated inspection, assembly automation, automated parking systems, and autonomous driverless forklifts.
ARAPL operates five advanced plants in Pune spanning 350,000 sq ft, supported by over 400 engineers in India and seven team members in the US. The company also maintains facilities in North Carolina and California, and service centres in Faridabad, Mumbai, and San Francisco.

Technology

M.E. Energy Bags Rs 490 Mn Order for Waste Heat Recovery Project

Second major EPC contract from Ferro Alloys sector strengthens company’s growth

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kilburn Engineering Ltd and a leading Indian engineering company specialising in energy recovery and cost reduction, has secured its second consecutive major order worth Rs 490 million in the Ferro Alloys sector. The order covers the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of a 12 MW Waste Heat Recovery Based Power Plant (WHRPP).

This repeat order underscores the Ferro Alloys industry’s confidence in M.E. Energy’s expertise in delivering efficient and sustainable energy solutions for high-temperature process industries. The project aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions by converting waste heat into clean power.

“Securing another project in the Ferro Alloys segment reinforces our strong technical credibility. It’s a proud moment as we continue helping our clients achieve sustainability and cost efficiency through innovative waste heat recovery systems,” said K. Vijaysanker Kartha, Managing Director, M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd.

“M.E. Energy’s expansion into sectors such as cement and ferro alloys is yielding solid results. We remain confident of sustained success as we deepen our presence in steel and carbon black industries. These achievements reaffirm our focus on innovation, technology, and energy efficiency,” added Amritanshu Khaitan, Director, Kilburn Engineering Ltd

With this latest order, M.E. Energy has already surpassed its total external order bookings from the previous financial year, recording Rs 138 crore so far in FY26. The company anticipates further growth in the second half, supported by a robust project pipeline and the rising adoption of waste heat recovery technologies across industries.

The development marks continued momentum towards FY27, strengthening M.E. Energy’s position as a leading player in industrial energy optimisation.

Technology

NTPC Green Energy Partners with Japan’s ENEOS for Green Fuel Exports

NGEL signs MoU with ENEOS to supply green methanol and hydrogen derivatives

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s ENEOS Corporation to explore a potential agreement for the supply of green methanol and hydrogen derivative products.

The MoU was exchanged on 10 October 2025 during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. It marks a major step towards global collaboration in clean energy and decarbonisation.
The partnership centres on NGEL’s upcoming Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka in Andhra Pradesh. Spread across 1,200 acres, the integrated facility is being developed for large-scale green chemical production and exports.

By aligning ENEOS’s demand for hydrogen derivatives with NGEL’s renewable energy initiatives, the collaboration aims to accelerate low-carbon energy transitions. It also supports NGEL’s target of achieving a 60 GW renewable energy portfolio by 2032, reinforcing its commitment to India’s green energy ambitions and the global net-zero agenda.