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Infrastructure development in urban settings is paramount and needs to be done efficiently. It entails the maintenance and upgrading of roads and utilities that provide water supply and sewage among others. In Gujarat state in India, an important project has been initiated to upgrade one of the important channels in that area. The project seeks to redevelop the Kharicut Canal, which has long been neglected in terms of repair.

The redevelopment will ensure that the water flow, leakage, and capacity of the channel are restored to modern levels. The channel will be developed using new construction techniques, such as the use of precast concrete, to ensure fast completion of the project. Such a project is essential because it will not only make the canal efficient but will minimize disturbance during its redevelopment in areas surrounding the urban area where it operates.

The most interesting thing about the redevelopment project is that it takes into account sustainability and the environmental impact of the project. For instance, the channel will undergo a reduction of water loss and water pollution.

Kharicut Canal redevelopment is much more than merely a construction project; it is a model for the integration of efficiency in the water flow process, strong infrastructural development, and environmental considerations into one comprehensive project in the contemporary world.

India is facing increasingly unpredictable weather conditions, from intense rainfall and flooding to extreme heat and coastal challenges. As infrastructure demands continue to rise, the need for stronger and more reliable construction solutions has never been more important. This is where precast concrete technology is making a significant impact.

Precast concrete structures are designed to handle harsh environmental conditions while maintaining long-term durability. Unlike conventional construction methods, precast components are manufactured in controlled facilities, ensuring consistent quality and faster project execution. These systems are widely used in drainage networks, retaining walls, flood-control structures, and transportation infrastructure that must perform under extreme weather pressure.

One of the biggest advantages of precast solutions is resilience. They help reduce maintenance requirements, improve structural strength, and support quicker recovery after severe weather events. Faster installation also means less disruption to public infrastructure projects, which is critical in densely populated regions.

Fuji Silvertech has recently implemented its plug-and-play greywater recycling system utilizing 3D Monolithic precast technology.

As urbanization progresses and the issue of water scarcity becomes more pressing, innovative solutions for water management are becoming essential. Fuji Silvertech, a leading Indo-Japanese firm, is pioneering this initiative with its state-of-the-art greywater recycling systems that utilize precast concrete technology.

The Significance of Greywater Recycling Greywater, which is derived from sinks, showers, and washing machines, presents considerable potential for water conservation. It is simpler and more economical to treat compared to blackwater, allowing for its reuse in non-potable applications such as irrigation and toilet flushing, thereby conserving water and alleviating pressure on sewage systems.

Fuji Silvertech’s precast concrete tanks are celebrated for their robustness and structural reliability. Produced in controlled environments, these tanks uphold high standards of quality and withstand environmental challenges. Their considerable weight contributes to stability, especially in areas prone to flooding, thereby reducing the likelihood of system failures.

These precast tanks can be tailored to specific needs, with capacities ranging from 1500 L to 10,000 L, and are equipped with features such as precast baffles and various pipe configurations to facilitate effective greywater management. This flexibility guarantees smooth integration into intricate systems.

The combination of greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting creates a comprehensive approach to water management. This synergy ensures a reliable water supply, even in regions facing water shortages, aligning with sustainability objectives and increasing property value.

In India, there is a growing emphasis on greywater management regulations, propelled by initiatives like the Jal Jeevan Mission and local mandates. This regulatory emphasis is shifting greywater recycling from a voluntary option to an essential requirement.

In the bustling landscape of India’s precast concrete industry, Fuji Silvertech stands as a beacon of innovation and excellence. As urbanization accelerates and ambitious projects like smart cities and high-speed rail networks take shape, the demand for rapid, high-quality, and sustainable construction solutions has never been greater. Precast technology, which involves crafting concrete components in a factory before assembling them on-site, emerges as a transformative solution in this arena.

Fuji Silvertech, a joint venture between Indian and Japanese enterprises, exemplifies leadership in this field. With operational plants strategically located in Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, and Delhi, the company leverages over a century of Japanese expertise to elevate its manufacturing capabilities. This strategic alignment positions Fuji Silvertech as a pivotal player in India’s infrastructure revolution.

At the core of Fuji Silvertech’s strategy is its alignment with the Government of India’s Zero Effect, Zero Defect (ZED) initiative. ZED aims to boost the competitiveness of Indian businesses through an unwavering commitment to quality and environmental stewardship. By adopting the ZED principles of “Zero Defect” and “Zero Effect,” Fuji Silvertech not only enhances its brand credibility but also demonstrates its dedication to producing flawless products with minimal environmental impact.

The ZED Certification Scheme serves as a strategic framework for Indian MSMEs striving for global competitiveness and sustainability. It comprises a tiered system with bronze, silver, and gold levels, each representing increasing commitments to quality and sustainability. Fuji Silvertech’ s alignment with these principles underscores its commitment to operational excellence and environmental responsibility.

Beyond these public-facing tiers, the scheme includes Diamond and Platinum levels, which guide companies toward world-class manufacturing excellence. These levels emphasize lean manufacturing principles and focus on achieving business outcomes with national recognition.

For Fuji Silvertech, integrating ZED principles into its operations offers significant strategic advantages. It not only aligns the company with a national initiative but also enhances its reputation and credibility, particularly in public infrastructure projects. By positioning itself as a leader in quality and sustainability, Fuji Silvertech strengthens its market position and reinforces its commitment to a culture of excellence.

Building Mumbai’s Resilience with Precast Innovation

Mumbai, a city of vibrant contrasts and economic prowess, faces a recurring challenge each monsoon season: crippling floods due to outdated infrastructure. As the financial heart of India, Mumbai contributes significantly to the national GDP, yet its aging stormwater systems struggle to handle modern climate demands. This urban paradox calls for innovative solutions that blend technology with infrastructure development.

The Need for Innovation

Mumbai’s infrastructure woes are rooted in its century-old drainage systems, originally designed for far less rainfall than the city currently experiences. Despite attempts to upgrade these systems, they remain inadequate against the increasing intensity of monsoon rains. The need for a robust, scalable solution is urgent to protect Mumbai’s economy and its citizens’ well-being.

Fuji Silvertech

Fuji Silvertech Concrete Pvt Ltd, a leader in precast concrete solutions, offers a transformative approach to Mumbai’s infrastructure challenges. Known for their work on major projects like the Kharicut Canal and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Expressway, Fuji Silvertech brings expertise in creating durable, swiftly installed precast solutions. Their innovative approach promises to enhance urban resilience through modern engineering.

The Tansa Project: A Case Study

A prime example of this innovation is Fuji Silvertech’s collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the Tansa water pipeline project. This initiative focuses on replacing outdated infrastructure with precast concrete box culverts, which offer several advantages:

Rapid Installation: Precast components are manufactured off-site, minimizing construction time and traffic disruption—crucial before the monsoon’s onset.

Enhanced Durability: Factory-controlled production ensures consistent quality and strength, vital for structures enduring heavy environmental stresses.

Water Supply Protection: The culverts effectively channel water, safeguarding critical water mains and maintaining the integrity of Mumbai’s water supply.

Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Fuji Silvertech’s deployment of over 500 precast culverts in the Kalher – Tansa section showcases a strategic response to Mumbai’s infrastructural concerns. This approach not only facilitated swift and safe project completion but also ensured minimal disruption to daily life, addressing local community needs for consistent access to workplaces and essential services.

A Vision for the Future

The partnership between BMC and Fuji Silvertech exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to urban resilience. As Mumbai continues to grow, such collaborations will be vital for developing infrastructure that can withstand the challenges of modern climates and urban pressures. By integrating high-tech precast solutions, Mumbai can build a sustainable future that supports its economic and cultural dynamism.

India’s railway network is the lifeline of the nation, and as our economy and trade expand, so does the demand for robust and efficient infrastructure. The Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project, a monumental undertaking by the Ministry of Railways, aims to significantly upgrade our freight transportation capabilities. But building infrastructure of this scale, especially alongside active railway lines, comes with unique challenges. That’s where precast concrete technology, pioneered by Fuji Silvertech Concrete Pvt. Ltd., truly shines. Their innovative solutions for the DFC project offer a glimpse into the future of Indian Railway construction.

The Challenge

The DFC isn’t just about more tracks; it’s about stronger, higher-capacity infrastructure. Designed to carry freight at nearly twice the height and with significantly increased axle loads compared to standard Indian Railways, the DFC demands an unparalleled level of structural integrity. This means dealing with heavier loads and increased vibrational forces from trains moving at speeds exceeding 65 kmph.

A significant component of the DFC Infrastructure is its minor bridges and drainage and ducting infrastructure which runs along the tracks and is as long as them. Efficient storm water drainage and ducting parallel to these tracks is very crucial to avoid situations of waterlogging that compromise track stability and affect safety and longevity. Additionally, minor bridges and cross drainage structures along and across the DFC need to handle some of the highest transportation loading in the country.

Fuji Silvertech Advantage

Fuji Silvertech provided precast concrete solutions for track-side and cross drainage, minor bridges, and earth retention structures for the DFC. The core idea was to deliver solutions specifically tailored for the DFC, allowing for undisturbed railway operations and expedited project completion.

The unique aspect? These precast components were designed for easy, fast, and light site operations. Imagine the complexity of building 9.15-meter-tall retaining walls on-site next to an active railway line. Traditional cast-in-situ methods would involve massive construction activities. Fuji Silvertech’s T-shaped segmental precast retaining walls offered a game-changing alternative, designed to withstand both earth and rail vibrational loads. This innovation was so significant it was verified, validated and patented for safe earth retention and railway vibration effects.

Innovations Beyond Construction

The benefits of precast technology extend far beyond just speed and ease of installation. The precast technology offers vast potential in terms of customization, design, innovation and scalability.

In offering this simplicity and scalability of construction, there is a vast effort beyond the construction site – in the design, in the production and the dispatch. The solution was custom designed, a first-in-India attempt and further to the functional and structural requirements, a stringent design approval process by the regulatory and statutory authorities for IRS & DFCC ensures the technical compliance aspects of the product. The individual segments being huge, the challenges of mass concreting were obvious – and every threat of high hydration temperatures and cracking were carefully combated with different actions in production. The logistics and dispatch of these components had to be very dynamic because the dispatch locations moved with the tracks for the same project and the segments to be transported were larger than anything FUJI had done before. It was surely another first time for FUJI Silvertech and a huge challenge.

The challenge was true, but the goal was worthy, and it turned to a progressive realization with the hard work and determination of the FUJI team and the genuine support and right direction from all the authorities.

The modular nature of these precast components accelerated the construction fivefold compared to traditional methods. Imagine the time savings when scaled to projects involving 100+ km of drains and numerous minor bridges. Standardized and factory-made, these solutions are now ready for dispatch across the entire pan-India railway network.

Imagine constructing a critical observation tower on a remote island, just 5 km wide, situated at the India-Pakistan border. Now, imagine that island is only accessible by a 25 km journey across the Arabian Sea. Add to those challenges like incredibly poor soil, high water tables, significant tide levels, a highly corrosive environment, and absolutely no existing infrastructure for power, housing, or sanitation. This was the reality for the Border Security Forces and CPWD, needing a robust solution for Observation Point (O.P.) Towers at Lakhpatwari, Narayan Sarovar, Kutch, Gujarat.

This site is not just remote; it’s classified as a high cyclone and high earthquake zone (Zone V). Traditional construction methods simply weren’t feasible.

Fuji Silvertech, in collaboration with CPWD, devised a complete precast concrete solution. The approach was ingenious: manufacture all components off-site in Bagodara facility, ensuring zero-millimeter tolerance for a perfect fit. These components included precast base slabs, raft footings, wall panels with couplers for the foundation, wall panels with door and window openings for observation, and precast slabs. The entire structure was then assembled on-site using bolted connections.

The result? A four-story O.P. Tower, built from 272 precast products of 29 variations, installed and finished in just 24 days. Each product weighed less than 1.5 tonnes, making transportation and handling manageable in such a challenging environment. The wall panels and floor slabs were 200 mm thick, designed to resist bullet penetration. Special attention was paid to protecting the foundation from the corrosive saline environment with bitumen paint.

The true test of these structures came shortly after installation. On June 15-17, 2023, cyclone Biparjoy, a very severe cyclone with sustained wind speeds of 125 kmph and gusts up to 140 kmph, along with a storm surge of 2 to 3 meters, hit the area directly. Not only did the towers withstand the combined force of the wind and tide, but they also encountered a minor earthquake during this period. Crucially, there was no damage.

This project stands as a powerful demonstration of the possibility and success of precast buildings in the most extreme and challenging conditions. The O.P. Towers were inaugurated by Shri Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, and even received a Certificate of Merit as a “Best Completed Project” from the Director General, CPWD.

As the construction industry shifts toward carbon-efficient and more transparent practices, clients are looking for ways to make their projects stand out. On World Environment Day, it’s worth highlighting how Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) on Fuji Silvertech’s T25 Drains and selected sizes of Box Culverts can give your project a real advantage, especially when earning LEED or IGBC certification.

Statistics show that:

76%of construction product client want suppliers to be transparent about environmental impacts of their products.

72% of construction product clients want manufacturersto provide them with sustainable or green products.

With an EPD, a manufacturer is not just claiming a product is green but shows exactly how it performs across a range of environmental factors, all measured according to international standards. As a construction product manufacturer, having an EPD helps us be distinct from our competitors. EPDs use Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify and communicate the lifetime environmental impact of a product. Since they are based on international standards and are verified by a third-party, they provide an objective, credible and neutral assessment.

Today, we want to spread awareness in our community and customers about our T25 drain and utility duct product and Box Culverts—with externally verified EPDs as per ISO 14025—which provides a competitive advantage to our clients who are interested in gaining green certifications like LEED or IGBC for their projects.

Our Environmentally declared products are as follows:

T25 drains: T25-300×300, T25-450×450, T25-600×600, T25-750×750, T25-900×900, T25-1200×1200

Box Culverts: BC-2000 x 2000 x 2000, BC-2600 x 2600 x 1500, BC-3000 x 3000 x 1000