Facing challenge, with success: Kulwant Sahay at his office in Ranchi. Picture by Ashok Karan

Will the mega sports complex for National Games 2007 come up at Hotwar in time? Ask this to the man entrusted with the responsibility of completing the infrastructure for the games and, putting an end to all rumours, he will confidently answer: ?Yes. I have never given in to the challenges in my career.?

Meet Kulwant Sahay, engineer-in-chief of the building construction department, who is at the helm of construction affairs of the sporting infrastructure.

Sahay began his career as an engineer assistant with the building construction department of Bihar in 1967. Following his stint with the department of atomic energy between 1971 and ?73 in the capacity of scientist (engineer), he was elevated to an assistant engineer in 1974. Sahay, who was with the design and planning division of the Aligarh-based Narora Atomic Power Plant, became an executive engineer in 1992.

When Jharkhand was created, he was made superintending engineer. Soon after taking charge as the engineer-in-chief in 2003, Sahay took the responsibility of completing the construction of Birsa Munda Jail at Hotwar in time.

Amid clouds of uncertainty over the promise of finishing the sports complex by October 2007 ? the scheduled date of completion ? Sahay maintains optimism.

In an interview with Shiv Charan Singh, he said his department would not disappoint sports lovers of the state.

The 34th National Games is hardly a year away. There has already been a lot of delay in starting the construction of the sporting infrastructure. What is the status of sports infrastructure regarding the games?

Before I speak of the status and number of complexes that we will construct, I would like to assure that there should not be any reason for pessimism, as everything is going at its stipulated speed. Our department has been asked to construct the main stadium, an indoor stadium, table tennis court, gymnasium, aquatics complex-cum-swimming pool, tennis complex with one centre court, velodrome, archery ground, shooting range, kabbadi and kho-kho courts, administrative building with a shopping mall, an amphitheatre and the VIP guesthouse. They are all to be constructed at Hotwar sporting complex. Preliminary work like consultancy, among others, which began in 2004, has been over and now we have started the construction.

Has it begun on each of the structures you mentioned?

No, the construction work of the main stadium has begun on June 15. The work on the rest would begin this week. In fact, we have divided the works into three packages. In package one, which goes to a Chinese construction company, Lienga Simplex, we have the velodrome, male and female hostels, kabbadi and kho-kho courts and the administrative building with a shopping mall. In the second package comes the main stadium, the tennis court, stadium lighting, score board, video display, acoustics. The package has been awarded to Nagarjuna Company. The third package comprises gymnasium, aquatics complex-cum-swimming pool, courts for table tennis, basketball and volleyball, a shooting range, stadium lighting, hydraulic platform, plumbing of swimming pool and the VIP guesthouse. The third package goes to the Chinese company.

By what time you expect to get these structures completed and what if the construction of sports infrastructure runs into rough weather, as there has already been such apprehension?

I have not learnt to give in before challenges. For me, and for our department, accomplishing the construction sporting facilities for the forthcoming games is both a challenge and a matter of pride. In my 40-year career, I have supervised the construction of several mega structures, so we are working with stipulated schedule of construction and we of course look forward to get through the work by October 2007. There is no second option.

Quality is the real benchmark of any construction, for if it is compromised, rest of the things does not count much on the achievement scale. What is your mode of ensuring the quality of construction?

First of all, we make sure that the material being used in the construction work is up to the mark. To accomplish this, we undertake laboratory tests of each material at different stages. At the first step, we take the sample of construction material to a laboratory. Secondly, we take the sample of constructed pieces after seven days and then finally on the 28th day. We approve the material or sample only after their quality is found to be up to the mark. If the sample or building material tests positive, we approve the work, or else we ask it to be dismantled. It is here that the engineers can really show their acumen, as the worth of a work solely depends on its quality.

Besides ensuring laboratory test of the material, how do you plan to supervise the quality of work?

As it is with everything else, we will have our engineers posted at the site right from the foundation stage to the casting and roofing. In a nutshell, our engineers will keep a tab on the construction during all the stages.

What do you have to say about the challenges ahead?

At present I am fully engrossed with my present assignment of the sports complex. We have taken up the responsibility of delivering the best to the people of Jharkhand. In fact I would like to have a spontaneous reaction from the people, who on seeing the sports infrastructure would say: ?This is a sporting complex with a difference?.

You have occupied a very important position in two states in your engineering career spanning about 40 years. What is your message to the young generation of architects?

It?s like going down the memory lane. I find the Ganga bridge in Patna, Beur Jail, the Birsa Munda Jail complex at Hotwar and four collectorate buildings in Jharkhand as worth mentioning.

If I get an occasion to share my experience with future engineers, I will ask them to devote to work and maintain the soundness and economy of the project assigned to them. And if they ask me to point out my best work, I will tell them about the Ganga bridge project in Patna between 1974 and 1977.