MIHAN is happening. Fast and how! CHECK IT

THINGS are moving at an astonishing pace at the Multi Modal International Cargo and Passenger Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN). With the irrepressible R C Sinha at the helm of affairs, being the VC&MD of the ambitious project, and a passionate team to support him, infrastructure works are certainly in high gear.

The Central Facility Building (CFB), being built in an area of 22,000 square metre, is expected to be completed by July 2008. It will house various offices including that of the Development Commissioner, Central Excise, amenities like couriers, banks and the office of MADC itself. It will also have an Incubation Centre to allow software companies to kick-start their work immediately.

A whirlwind tour of the site revealed that most of the work on internal roads are nearing completion. MIHAN has a road stretch of about 52 kilometre within its precincts. Pillars have already been installed on the 2.7 km flyover connecting Wardha Road directly to the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The 3-storeyed telephone exchange building, built on 15,000 square feet of land, will be completed in another nine months, it was learnt.

All the electric supply sub-stations (six in all) have been differently and intricately designed and are nearing completion. Likewise, work on the Ground Water Reservoir (GSR) - that will get water from Wadgaon Dam - and on the elevated water reservoir (24 metre high) just beside it, is in full swing. The two reservoirs have a capacity of 170 lakh litres and 17 lakh litres respectively.

Yet, quality is one thing that Sinha keeps on harping even while giving a time frame for completion of various projects to engineers and consultants. Known for delivering goods expeditiously, Sinha went about various sites inspecting work in minutest detail and giving subtle instructions on the nuances of design and technique. Listening to the dilemma of a contractor at one of the sites, he asked his senior officers to provide technical guidance and support to the smaller contractors and not just ‘exercise control’ over them.

Sinha was accompanied by Harshawardhan Gajbhiye, Senior Vice President, MADC, MADC Director Arun Bongirwar, Chief Engineer S V Chahande, Project Manager Abid Ruhi and staff.