Cement, Energy and Environment

Voi6,No.2 Apr- Jun 2002 CEMENT, ENERGY and ENVIRONMENT Editorial Board A. V. Srinivisan S. J. Raina Dr. S. P. Ghosh G. Ramaseshan P. T. Nanjappa P. K. Bhatnagar Executive Advisory Board M. L. Narula - Chairman V.J. Anantharaman K. M. Kavadia J.P. Desai P.K. Goenka A.K. Jain Kamal Kumar Dr. K.C. Narang B.V. Ramanayya Dr. S.N. Yadav Dr. Raman Sing}!, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, releasing the Special Publication "India's First Access Controlled Expressway Mumbai-Pune" at the Mumbai Semin,u on the Expressway. Shri Vikramsinl1 Patankar, Hon'ble Minister for PWD Government of Maharashtra receives the first copy, cheered by Shri TMM Nambi,u (right) President CMA .md Shri B.L. fain (left) Vice President CAt£4. TheHon'bleMinisteralsoreleasedthe 'H.mdbookofReady-Mixed Concrete' on ll1e ocGsion (seepages 16-18 for detailedreport). For Private Circulation MESSAGE Dear Readers, Several emergent issues and recent developments of major significance for the indigenous cement industry need appropriate attention. The growth in capacity of the industry in recent years has outpaced the growth in demand. This has naturally led to a recessionary trend in cement prices and new ventures are becoming fewer, as a result. The industry has been looking eagerly to the fast-pace implementation of the several ambitious schemes of infrastructure development like the Prime Minister's Gramin Sadak Yojana and projects of the NHAI to construct 13,000 km of 4/6-lane highways under the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and the North-South and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors. The industry has been expecting a surge in cement demand as an outcome of the rapid implementation of infrastructure development programmes, namely, in Rural Housing, State and National Highways and Expressways. The success story of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, constructed in cement concrete and completed ahead of schedule, constituting a show-piece of unique connectivity and smooth high-speed driving through its entire 97-km six-lane stretch, is still topical. In fact, it has kindled hopes of being replicated in many other parts of the country. It is encouraging that out of the 5851 km t otal length of the Golden Quadrilateral, 1637 km of 2-lane equivalent stretch is planned to be built in concrete. Similarly, for the NS-EW Corridors, while consultants are being appointed by NHAI for preparing the DPR, it is expected that 30 to 40 per cent o~ the total length will be in concrete. These trends bid fair for a jump in cement consumption and thus paving the way. for the much-needed boost in cement demand. Frankly, such a turn-around for the industry is long overdue.