Purpose – Relocation of utilities is a major source of delay in Indian infrastructure projects. This delay is particularly critical in road and bridge construction projects. The purpose of this paper is to identify the various factors and also the interrelationships between the factors which influence the delays in the relocation of utilities. Design/methodology/approach – Case studies were conducted on 11 road and bridge projects in India with varying levels of complexity and size. Factors causing relocation delays were identified using computer aided qualitative analysis methodology. Cognitive mapping technique was used to map the interrelationships between the factors and to identify the critical delay factors. Findings – Factors affecting delays were identified across two groups, namely, technical and organizational factors. The study offers insights into the kinds of interactions of factors that can lead to delays in a project. The critical factors causing delays were identified as slow response from utility agencies, difficulty in identification of underground utilities, lack of information on underground utilities and conflict between agencies. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of the study are that the interview respondents are not evenly distributed among the type of organizations which may have induced some bias in responses. The impact of the utility relocation delays on the overall project delay has to be detailed further. Practical implications – The interrelationships between factors has the potential to help the officials of highway department, contractors, utility agencies and others understand how various interactions/linkages of factors contributes to delays in utility relocations. Recommendations are provided for the practical use and to reduce the impact of delays. Originality/value – Utility relocation has received very little attention in the extant literature and this paper seeks to contribute to knowledge in this area by identifying the linkages between factors and the critical factors of utility relocation delays in India.

Purpose Utility relocation issues are unfortunately frequent and recurring problems in several countries’ highway projects. Very few studies have addressed the utility relocation issues in highway projects. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, this paper explores how the utility relocation issues are managed in highway projects. Second, this paper systematically identifies the prioritized technical and coordination strategies to be adopted to avoid delays in utility relocation. Design/methodology/approach Multiple case-based research methodology was used to explore how the utility relocation issues are managed in highway projects. Empirical evidences from 11 road and bridge projects in India were used to develop the descriptive storyline for each of the project. The strategies used to manage the utility relocation issues were identified from three sources namely literature review, case studies and nominal group technique (NGT). The strategies were then evaluated quantitatively using NGT. Findings The analysis of the case studies showed that the delays in utility relocation were in the range of 5-52 months. It was found that the duration of relocation of utilities is impacted more significantly by the complexity of underground utilities rather than the size of the projects. Strategies that are used to manage utility relocation were identified across two groups namely; technical and coordination strategies. Practical implications Recommendations are provided for the practical use and policy changes. Originality/value The prioritized technical and coordination strategies can be used systematically to avoid delays in utility relocation.

Construction sites are plagued with numerous problems, such as improper planning and management, high amounts of waste generation and low awareness of waste reduction. Construction and demolition waste literature provides several best practises and prescriptive strategies that help minimise waste during construction. However, it lacks in the systematic identification and minimisation approach of all possibilities of waste. Therefore, studies focusing on principles and tools that help systematically analyse the inefficiencies of on-site processes leading to waste generation and philosophies addressing waste minimisation are necessary. As eliminating waste is one of the key lean principles, this article discusses the need and importance of integrating the lean construction with the construction and demolition waste management. This article aims to estimate and assess the causes of waste generation in a high-rise building construction through a case study in Chennai city (India) using value stream mapping, a key lean construction tool. Onsite monitoring and measurement were performed to quantify the amount of waste generated. A waste generation rate of 66.26 kg m−2 was identified, of which concrete, cement mortar and brick waste represented almost 90% of the total construction waste. Direct observation and interviews of site personnel were conducted to understand the causes of waste generation. A strategic framework has been proposed to improve construction and demolition waste minimisation depicting the synergy of combining lean construction principles with construction and demolition waste management strategies. The proposed framework helps in the systematic identification, assessment and minimisation of on-site construction waste generation.

Purpose The relocation of existing underground utilities in urban environments is complex because of the existence of multiple utility agencies being responsible for numerous utilities and over constrained space and time to execute maintenance works. Unfamiliar location and insufficient records of maintenance data hamper the flow of work, causing unnecessary delays and conflicts. The aim of the paper is to explore 4 dimensional Building Information Modeling as a smart solution for the management of multiple utility data for a relocation project in an urban setting. Design/methodology/approach An empirical case-based research methodology is used to collect data and develop the BIM models. Two ongoing construction projects in an urban city are empirically studied, and 4D BIM models of identified utilities are developed to assist management and relocation of existing utilities. Findings The developed BIM models enabled the location of existing sub-surface utilities through 3D visualization and also enabled clash detection. The 4D simulation of BIM model enabled the tracking of actual progress of relocation works and thereby helped in taking necessary actions to minimize forthcoming delays. The evaluation of the developed model showed that the application of 4D BIM improved communication and coordination during utility relocation works. Practical implications 4D BIM for utility infrastructure provides better management of utility information. They provide utility stakeholders an efficient way to coordinate, manage utility relocation processes through improved visualization and communication with a reduction in delays and conflicts. Originality/value Limited efforts were made using 3D BIM for sub-surface utility infrastructure in visualization and management of utility information. Efforts using 4D BIM in coordination and management of utility projects are left unexplored. This study adds value to the current literature through the application of 4D BIM for utility relocation projects.

With the growth in Indian economy, major infrastructure development initiatives have been undertaken by the Governments at the central, state and local body levels. Transportation infrastructure projects recently undertaken in India have experienced large cost and time overruns. The development, construction and operation of the infrastructure facilities need a number of permits and approvals. These projects are more vulnerable to approval delays because they require various statutory and non statutory approvals and clearances during the development phase and project specific approvals during the implementation phase. This paper discusses the preliminary phase of the research to investigate and evaluate the impact of the various approval risks on the outcome of transportation infrastructure projects. Critical approval risks and risk sources have been identified through literature review and interviews with key experts in the various transportation sectors such as airports, metro rail and roads. The approval risks are structured in three levels through a risk breakdown structure (RBS). Approval risks are classified into development approval risks and implementation approval risks. Development approval risks are further broken down into statutory and non statutory approval risks. The identified approval risks will benefit the developers and project managers of the infrastructure projects to better plan infrastructure projects taking into account impact of these risks.