Highway build for Afcons

Indian construction company, Afcons Infrastructure Limited, is using 19 Grove rough terrain cranes for the Jammu to Udhampur Highway road building project in India.

The Jammu to Udhampur Highway project spans 235 km. It will have 54 bridges, 16 viaducts, eight cross ducts and four tunnels, a spokesperson said. Around 8,000 workers are involved with the construction project.

Cranes on site from Afcons include 60 tonne capacity RT765E-2 rough terrains and 30 tonne capacity RT530E-2 RTs. The former has a 33.5 metre Megaform boom, while the latter a 29 m boom.

The cranes are being used to lift a range of materials and structures, metal plates, steel and concrete girders. They are also being used to pour concrete. Challenges for the cranes include narrow roads, cliff edges and rugged terrain.

Biplob Chakraborty, Afcons deputy general manager of equipment, said, “Working on a narrow and treacherous road – in either extreme heat or torrential rain – is no easy task but the Grove cranes offer excellent manoeuvrability and are quick to set up, which means we’ve moved the project along smoothly. This is a big job, and we need machines that can work round the clock to keep up with our demanding schedule. We are really happy with the cranes and their versatility means we’ve completed a large part of the work already.”

The Jammu to Udhampur Highway project is due for completion in September 2014. It will reduce the travelling time between Jammu and Udhampur from ten to five hours.