Shades of green mean business for infrastructure sector

It’s still largely a statement of intent, but India’s infrastructure sector has begun to realise the importance of adopting a ‘green’ strategy before it is too late. As India prepares to bridge its infrastructure gap of no less than $500 billion, there could be an inherent message of moving to a green strategy. Copenhagen is a failed deal and India will continue to oppose any legally binding green emission norms. But keeping in mind the global opinion at large, India’s infrastructure sector has no option but to go green.

Rohit Modi, deputy managing director of Gammon India says that companies in core sector development have already begun to deploy green innovations but there is a need for policy changes. “There are many things which an individual company can’t do on its own. If we need to reduce the aggregates in building roads, for example, the NHAI needs to alter its specifications. Quantity of aggregates need to come down if we are to succeed in achieving green goals,” he said.

Gammon India recently experimented with a new design to make the bridge over Koshi river in Bihar more environment-friendly. “Infrastructure companies have begun to invest more in R&D to address green issues,” he says.

Conservation of energy and water are increasingly being integrated into the design of core sector projects. “Whether it’s designing ports, airports or highways, there is now a high sensitivity. Currently, the most noticeable aspect of India Inc’s green initiative is in energy conservation,” says Vinayak Chatterjee, chairman, Feedback Ventures and head, CII’s infrastructure council.

For Indian infrastructure companies, better designs to reduce water and energy bills would ultimately help companies improve their bottomline.