THE GREAT CONVERGENCE

Excon 2023 had all the hallmarks of success for the infrastructure industry with modern and new-age equipment on display

Excon 2023, the five-day construction equipment exposition, had participation from 15 countries, over 1,000 exhibitors, including 100 from overseas. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated CII Excon -South Asia's largest construction equipment trade fair at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru.

India's construction sector, currently ranking the world's third largest, has the potential to propel it to the top spot in the next five years, said Gadkari.

He said that the construction sector would have a significant contribution to make India a carbon neutral economy.

To achieve this goal, the government was embarking on major infrastructure and industrial projects that implement sustainable fuels.

"Construction and mining operations consume 400 crore litres of diesel, which is quite detrimental to the environment and the economy. By embracing alternative fuels such as ethanol, methanol, and hydrogen, the construction and mining sectors can effectively reduce emissions. Precast concrete emerges as a commendable substitute for traditional concrete," he added.

Chandrajit Banerjee, CII director general, said: "India exported construction equipment to 140 countries. To enhance sustainability and efficiency, private players in the construction sector should focus on automation, adopt advanced technologies and global best practices, increase the use of alternative fuels, and adopt innovative ways to convert waste materials to raw materials for construction projects. " Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, chairman, CII Karnataka, highlighted Karnataka's emergence as a vibrant manufacturing hub, showcasing the state's manufacturing potential through the large presence of OEMs and components industries at Excon.