Smooth Roads Ahead

“Life is like a road – full of obstacles, cracks, bumps and potholes” is an expression arvindbhai vithalbhai patel, managing director of patel infrastructure limited, refutes, saying “not on our roads”.

- Lisa Schofield

Each time Patel Infrastructure Limited completes a road project, the team knows that their Managing Director, Arvindbhai Vithalbhai Patel, will drive over the road with a glass of water on his car’s dashboard. “This is my gauge for assessing quality,” Arvindbhai says. “If the water spills, I know there is scope for improvement.” “Ninety percent of the time, not a single drop spills,” he remarks. Quality is non-negotiable for this third generation family-run business. The number of major industry awards and projects won is testament to its reputation.

Founded by Arvindbhai’s late father Shri Vithalbhai Gobarbhai Patel in 1972, Patel Infrastructure started as a building construction company with a focus on government buildings and hotel construction. “My father came to Mumbai from a small village in Gujarat with a dream to make it big and think beyond the ordinary,” Arvindbhai explains. “He worked hard with patience and perseverance to establish the business and achieve success. I am responsible for carrying forward his vision, to make it big and every day we put in efforts to make it bigger.”

While continuing the civil construction legacy created by the founder, Patel Infrastructure diversified into road construction. India has the world’s second largest road network at 5.5 million kilometres, with road the most common mode of travel and transport, accounting for over 86 per cent of passenger traffic and 65 per cent of freight traffic. “Initially, we faced extreme challenges – we needed qualified staff, material, technology and management systems,” Arvindbhai recalls. “The road to success is always under construction. You must be patient if you want to make your mark. If you don’t accept challenges and make them your own, you will never grow.”