Japan reiterates commitment to contribute to building sustainable infrastructure in India

October 15, 2022 10:13 pm | Updated 10:13 pm IST - Mumbai

As India has embarked on an ambitious target to achieve Net Zero by 2070, a senior Japanese official said his country would contribute to commissioning of sustainable transport infrastructure and building long-lasting construction projects in India.

“We are committed to contribute to protection of environment and reduction of CO2 emissions in India. We will focus on public infrastructure, especially on high-speed railway and metros which will reduce air pollution. The reduction in automobiles will help in sustainability,” said Toshihiro Kaneko, deputy Consul General, Japanese Consulate, Mumbai.

“We have the technology to build quality infrastructure which can last long and these will be sustainable infrastructure,” he added while speaking at the World of Concrete India 2022 exhibition which is underway in Mumbai, showcasing the latest construction technologies and solutions for sustainable development.

He said, “the Japanese take pride in quality and are working closely with India for technology transfer. During the Prime Minister’s visit, Japan made a commitment of $3 trillion [investment] in the next 5 years towards infrastructure development. India has a bright future and Japanese companies would like to participate in this development and growth in India.” 

According to NITI Aayog, the Indian real estate sector is expected to reach a market size of $ 1 trillion by 2030 and will account for 13% of India’s GDP by 2025.

The construction output in the country is also expected to reach ₹60,508.9 billion by 2026, as per this projections. 

While all these provide large scale opportunities for players, timely execution in a sustainable manner holds the key to tapping the potentials, speakers at the event said.  

Amit Bansal, partner, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP said, “The scale and speed at which some of the new techniques need to be adopted need to increase significantly. The volume of construction is also going to increase and unless we adopt new techniques and methods, we will not be able to deliver. While we have the potential, we must ensure that we tap into this potential and ensure that we do not let it go waste”.

On this occasion, Betolar Plc of Finland announced the roll-out of its concrete products which are manufactured without the use of cement through its patented technology Geoprime. It is the next-generation, low-carbon solution, and a sustainable alternative to cement. Cement contributes around 8% to the overall CO2 emissions. 

“With our 100% cement free concretes, we are envisaging CO2 emission reduction to the extent of 80% when compared to cement,” said Abhishek Bhattacharya, managing director, Betolar India.

‘Geoprime enables concrete manufacturers to create cement-free concrete by effectively utilising industrial side streams such as fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS). The durability and strength of the manufactured concrete are comparable to cement-based products, yet it outperforms the traditional products with its significantly lower carbon footprint,” he added.  

Yogesh Mudras, managing director, Informa Markets India, the organisers of the show, said, “Increasing government investments in projects like the Sagarmala Programme, Bharatmala Pariyojana. Gati Shakti Master Plan, development of 21 greenfield airports in the country, has made the Indian market highly competitive and holds opportunities for not only big but also for small and medium players.”

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