12 minute read

Apollo Box Sections for Railways stations

The Indian Government is undertaking several initiatives to upgrade its aging railway infrastructure and enhance its quality of services. The scheme of station redevelopment is in synergy with the Smart City Project launched by the GOI. Currently, RLDA is focusing on the redevelopment of 155 railway stations in various cities in next 2-5 years.

Challenge

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The main concern while redeveloping any railway station is the duration of the project. The project execution needs to be really fast, as the operations of the stations cannot be stopped for too long. To ensure faster execution of the project, easier fabrication and erection is required so that there is minimum disturbance to the regular operations of the station.

HOW APL APOLLO CAN HELP?

To revolutionise the construction industry and to make the construction faster and better, APL Apollo came up with a ‘Nayi Soch’ that can transform the future of building and construction with its exclusive range of heavy structural tubular products. Steel Building Solutions technology and Apollo Column tubes are known as the heart of Pre-Engineered Building (PEB) due to its faster speed of project completion, superior quality, strength, cost effectiveness and eco-friendliness.

With the help of APL Apollo’s wide range of structural steel tubes everything can be built on Tubular sections (Hollow Steel Sections) which saves time and the fabrication gets much easier. Minimal or no on-ground fabrication is required as it is pre-fabricated, precisely engineered and cut to length which speeds up the entire process.

Apl Apollo For Railways

Recently, APL Apollo has come up with another innovation, a much needed solution, which is, ready box sections of 500x500 mm up to 20 mm thickness. These box sections were earlier made manually, heavy plates were transported, stored, cut and welded from all the four sides, which increased the overall time of the project. Increase in project duration led to increase in the overall project cost, while compromising the quality. Now, these ready box sections are available in nick of time with our cutting edge technology, with no compromise in quality. Our world class technology has a capacity of producing 500 tons of box sections in a day in cut to length sizes, with better quality, minimum wastage and less lead time.

Project Case Study

In Andhra Pradesh, a railway station is being redeveloped with total area of 1,54,000 sqft which is divided into concourse and roof area (with the larger span of 35 meters). To optimize the structure of the railway station, studies were done in both conventional structural built up steel and tubular steel technology.

According to studies, the total tonnage in the built-up structures was 1700 tonnes; however, using tubular technology, we were able to reduce the consumption to 1477 tonnes. This is 15% less steel which will help in reduction of overall project cost.

Moreover, Built-up sections have harsh edges and require encasing with concrete/gypsum board, which increases the execution time. On the contrary, in case of structural tubes such encasing is not required as they have smoother edges and are aesthetically appealing.

To make the execution of the project faster, we use our direct Forming Technology which provides customized, cut-to-length sizes to the client, making it more convenient to fabricate and install. This reduces the fabrication time drastically as there is no on site fabrication required, making the construction easier and faster.

Conclusion

Structural steel tubes (hollow steel sections) have better weight to strength ratio compared to built-up sections. The tubes can revolutionise construction in two ways,

1. Reduction in steel consumption and project cost

2. Increase the speed of the construction

Structural steel tubes can be used to build any structure for housing, hospitals, railway stations, warehouses, data centres, and schools.

LET’S CREATE AN ENGAGING WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT WITH EXTRAMILE!

Today, workplaces promoting a monotonous work culture that stands nowhere in terms of productivity in comparison to those companies which encourage an engaging and fun-filled working environment. Organizations which treat their employees with empathy and care are reportedly hitting the crescendo. Pooja Bajaj Chadha is the founder of ExtraMile, who through her splendid organization is propagating the notion of ‘Engaging Work Culture’ in corporates to aid employees in enjoying their work life.

Pooja Bajaj Chadha is a true inspiration to millions of young women entrepreneurs, who despite a myriad of roadblocks in the route has emerged as a phenomenal Woman Entrepreneur. Thereby, Business Connect has decided to write about the magnate’s journey in the upcoming edition-‘Women Entrepreneur of the Year-2019.’

EUREKA!

Pooja was well-settled and satisfied with her job when a life-changing question popped up in the neurons of her brain, and it was “am I really happy here?” It was a mo-

Vikas Jha | Business Connect

ment of epiphany when she found out that deep inside her heart she wanted to put her foot into the entrepreneurial world.

In 2011, employee engagement programs were not formulated creatively or after doing an in-depth Research. Overall, no heed was paid towards the well-being of the employees-the most indispensable assets of the organization. A few treasure hunts and Diwali treats were conducted to make the employees happy, which of course was not as effective on its own and applicable for the long-run prosperity of the employees. This was mostly because the emphasis was on external customers or clients only. Today, almost a decade later, corporates and HR teams are beginning to realize the very essence of engaged employees at the workplace.

Pooja, whilst working in the corporate world, felt the fissure in the employee engagement, thereby, she decided to quit her job and embarked on the journey of entrepreneurship. With a vision of converting every corporate into an engaging environment for the employees, ExtraMile was born.

Reasons To Go For Extramile

As the name suggests, ExtraMile always tries to go the extra mile for their clients and build an incredible relationship with each one. They intently listen to, consciously observe, understand their problems, statements and evaluate their opportunities – and then step in to customize solutions that suit their needs. Additionally, they try to offer solutions which are up to date and trending with the times. Clients fondly call ExtraMile the Mary Poppins of Engagement - one with always something exciting and innovative in-store that can change the way employees are engaged. “The journey’s been nothing short of a rollercoaster, one that I’ve truly enjoyed!”

~Pooja Bajaj Chadha

COMPREHENDING THE COMPANY’S WORK

The methodologies used in the offerings range from learning with fun, quirky and creative themed communication and innovative game formats, which are suitable for both – online and offline – to engage a corporate’s employees.

Think of play, laughter, bonding, and fun amongst employees – That’s the vision of any ExtraMile engagement program. Each activity designed is a result of a lot of brainstorming, trial, error and detailing. The four attributes enlisted below make them different from others :

Teambuilding: Doing away with the old-fashioned domino challenges and blindfolded treasure hunts, this offering is all about customized experiences, game-based learning and experiential scenarios to challenge the senses. Right from the new-age method of learning loaded with fun, skill-development games, and offbeat solutions, they have this in kitty along with more offline activities for corporates. This is their flagship offering.

Digital Engagement: It’s the time for digital and time to connect your workforce across the country under one roof. ExtraMile offers unusual and innovative digital activities that can go viral at work. They help corporates to create a digital engagement network with solutions like innovative quiz formats, online games, tambola, virtual treasure hunt, KBC, card-a-thons, mood-o-meter, and selfie games. This is their latest and fast-growing offering, with the increased use of technology in HR today.

Office Engagement: There’s no dearth of initiatives at ExtraMile – they create a monthly engagement calendar for corporates – including the popular days such as ‘Women’s Day’ as well as the creative, offbeat ones of ‘Fun At Work Day’ or ‘Star Wars Day’. They plan the year-long journey of awesomeness for corporates and engage the employees on the office floor every month. With this offering, they aim to be the HR team’s right arm and partner-in-engagement in building a world of happy, energetic Mondays & mid-week celebrations.

Creative Communication: Be it an activity to create a buzz or elaborate on policies and code of conduct, introduce a new app or even build an EVP campaign for employer branding, ExtraMile’s offerings, as the name suggests, add a spark of creativity to the communication. They have solutions and themes to help corporate HRs to make an impact on their employees with their mailers, danglers, posters, tent cards, standees, brochures, wobblers, etc. This offering also caters to a regional audience.

The CEO says, “Through all our offerings, one aspect or strategy is implemented to position us as a one-stopshop for all corporates. Whether it’s a conference, an offsite, an anniversary celebration or an awards night, we make sure the HR team is supported with creative communication to build a buzz leading up to the event date, a fun digital activity to pique the employee interest and fun, themed, learning-oriented offline activities (in and out of office).”

The Clientele

ExtraMile serves a 150+ strong clientele across various industries, with its presence in 25 locations and servicing corporates. The main objective of the organization is to create happy and engaged workplaces. They carved a long way since the Company’s inception with top brands as their partners-in-engagement including Aditya Birla

Group, Thomas Cook, Google (India), MakeMyTrip, Kotak Mahindra Bank, BookMyShow, Axis Bank, Crompton, Motilal Oswal, McDonalds, Glenmark, Zee TV , Tata Group and a lot more feathers in their cap.

EMPLOYEES COME FIRST!

Being an employee engagement firm, they encourage corporates to help their teams to grow and flourish in their personal and professional lives. They manage it effectively by adopting the same at their own workplace. To preach looks better if they practice it on the real grounds, and they implement this mantra in reality. The maestro, Pooja says, “If there is one thing I look at while hiring new employees at ExtraMile, it’s the ones with the passion and an attitude of ownership.

I believe, in every company, the employees must work alongside the leadership teams and not under them. This sense of accountability allows them to grow as professionals.”

An approach like this is what they use at their firm to ensure engaged employees as well. ExtraMile encourages a self-learning environment so that their team can take charge of their own development, the habit of taking feedback that helps the team to grow; it fosters a learning environment. Working closely with their Chief Outdoor Officer, they plan offbeat, fun, quirky activities for the team to identify gaps, overcome challenges, seek opportunities and collaborate to celebrate wins and appreciate each other’s work. Their month is filled with Monday morning huddle meets mid-week engagements, Thursday rewards, Friday peer-to-peer appreciations, occasional pizza parties and of course, chai and coffee breaks.

Incredible Achievements And Milestones

The company started from scratch, now it has expanded its wings, and created a prodigious place in the entrepreneurial world. Achievements of this journey include bagging an industry giant such as Vodafone in their first year, building trust among 150+ other clients that followed in the years to come, building a team that grows with the company and retaining an engaged workforce that is happy and excited about coming to work each day.

Apart from this, the company is accredited by many awards:

1. GIWL Woman Entrepreneur of the Year for HR consulting (2019) – awarded by UBS Forums

2. Panelist on ET Now’s television show, Leaders of Tomorrow – segment covered Hiring Trends FY20, other panelists were from Gozoop, Monster India and Shortlist

3. Pioneered initiatives like Colympics – an intercorporate sports challenge, Balance For Better FAIR – a women’s day celebration across 11 cities and Universal Wellness for Corporates – a world health day package of events

4. ExtraMile has been certified as one of the ‘Top 10 Most Promising Employee Benefits & Training Management Service Providers 2019’ by Silicon India

01 - Dark Chocolate Mocha Mousse

Dark Chocolate Mocha Mousse is a delicious and healthy snack or dessert. It tastes like mocha but with the flavor of chocolate, it is not too sweet. The texture of this mousse is smooth and creamy, similar to a pudding. When you eat it, the chocolate flavor comes out first, followed by a slight hint of coffee. The mocha’s taste isn’t overpowering, so you can enjoy this treat without having to worry about feeling sick afterwards.

The best part about Dark Chocolate Mocha Mousse is that it’s low in calories and sugar! Each serving has only 150 calories and 2 grams of sugar per serving (about 1/4 cup). That means you can indulge without worrying about gaining weight or putting on unwanted pounds after eating something tasty like this! If you’re looking for something sweet that won’t make you regret your decision later on down the road, try out Dark Chocolate Mocha Mousse next time you’re craving something sweet!

02 - Orange Pineapple Squares

Orange Pineapple Squares are a delicious treat that’s both healthy and easy to make. The taste of Orange Pineapple Squares is like a cross between pineapple and orange, with a hint of coconut in there as well. They’re sweet and refreshing, but they don’t leave you feeling like you’re eating an orange. They’re light and fruity, which is why they make such a good snack or dessert!

And did we mention how healthy they are? Eating this snack will help you stay energized throughout the day—and if you have one at lunchtime, you’ll have more energy for school than if you had something less healthy. And if it’s after dinner time? You’ll feel so good that you won’t even have time to feel guilty after eating them. So, whether it’s morning or night time: go ahead and give these squares a try.

03 - Brownie Batter Healthy Oat Balls

Brownie Batter Healthy Oat Balls are the perfect dessert for any occasion. They’re a delicious and healthy treat that can be made in just minutes, so you’ll never have to wait for them to bake. The combination of brownie batter, oats, and chia seeds makes these balls incredibly moist and delicious—and they’re also packed with protein.

They taste like a brownie baked with oatmeal and chia seeds, but they’re much lighter than your usual brownie and don’t contain any oil or sugar. They’re made with just three ingredients: brownie batter, rolled oats and chia seeds!

These healthy oat balls are perfect for anyone who wants to make healthier food choices without sacrificing taste or quality. They’re just as delicious as traditional brownies, too— you won’t even miss the added sugar!

04 - 2-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Oh, the sweet taste of a 2-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake! It’s like a chocolate cupcake, but in mug form. It’s super moist and fudgy: the perfect combination of brownie and cake. This recipe is also super healthy, with only half a tablespoon of butter and no oil. The peanut butter adds just enough moisture to keep this recipe from being dry, but it doesn’t make it too heavy—you’ll still be able to enjoy every bite without getting uncomfortably full.

You can make your own peanut butter or buy it from the store, but if you can’t find any in your area then I recommend grabbing some at Costco or Sam’s Club. They have great prices and are always stocked up on bulk items like nuts and candies!

05 - Peanut Butter Swirl Frozen Yogurt

Peanut Butter Swirl Frozen Yogurt is a delicious treat that’s full of healthy fats and protein. It’s also low in sugar, making it an ideal snack for anyone looking to curb their cravings without going overboard. The taste is amazing—it’s like biting into a peanut butter ball on your tongue. Plus, it has a ton of protein and healthy fats that help keep you full and satisfied.

We love Peanut Butter Swirl Frozen Yogurt because it’s fun, delicious, and easy to make at home with just a few ingredients!

06 - Vanilla “sugar” cookies

Vanilla “sugar” cookies are a delicious cookie that is both delicious and healthy. If you’ve ever had the chance to try a vanilla “sugar” cookie, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. They taste like the best kind of sugar cookie, but they’re also very healthy. Vanilla “sugar” cookies are made with whole wheat flour and have no added sugars. They’re also low in calories, so they’re perfect for anyone who wants to lose weight or maintain a healthy diet.

If you’re looking for something sweet to have during the holidays, or if you just want to treat yourself every once and a while, then try making some vanilla “sugar” cookies!

07 - Applesauce

Applesauce is a dessert that is made by mixing apples and sugar together, which results in a sweet, tangy flavor. It’s also very nutritious, because it contains antioxidants that help your body fight off disease and keep your immune system healthy. When you eat applesauce, your taste buds will be able to detect the sweetness of the fruit without any added sugar. The antioxidants in applesauce help lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, so eating it regularly can help keep you healthy. It’s hard to believe that desserts are actually healthy, but they are. So, take a break from your daily routine and enjoy some of these treats with a glass of water—you’ll be surprised at how good they taste.