VSK Associates | Founder & Principal Consultant -Infra & Urban Systems
Program Management of Infra & Urban Systems Vertical:
- Spearheaded portfolio management for the I&US vertical, transforming dormant operations in 2017 into a thriving infra-consulting business, growing the team from 3 to 28 and managing a portfolio of 64+ infra projects (32.6 million sqft. real estate) worth $1.12 billion. (capital investment and lifetime revenues).
- Leveraged technology platforms to address congestion & utility deficits in high-density urban areas through model infra projects, driving cost efficiencies and achieving a sustainable impact of ~47,335 mt. tons of CO2 annually.
- Led internal consulting strategy- competition analysis, workflows, proposal development, and execution-related SOPs, achieving an 85% success rate in national tenders.
- Oversaw full-cycle development (feasibility to execution) for public sector clients, resulting in a 30% reduction in project delivery time.
- Streamlined project management by facilitating collaboration among client teams by establishing central cross-functional units, reducing the development cycle from 8 months to 5 months through enhanced communication and strategic planning.
- Integrated and managed multi-city field teams, expanding project capacity from 3 to over 20 through strategic service integration (traffic analytics, landscape management, climatology analysis, investment planning, etc.) and internal management systemization using SOPs, BIM, and cloud networking.
Stakeholder & Client Management:
- Acted concurrently as the SPOC for 5 PSUs/ULBs, employing tailored communication to foster trust and engagement. Regular stakeholder meetings ensured feedback was actively incorporated into project planning, enhancing collaboration and transparency.
- Led high-level delegations for clients as empanelled consultant, engaging with over 35 MPs and 8 state govts, securing projects valued at $160 million through strategic MOUs, thereby expanding NHIDCL's infrastructure portfolio under the special initiative of the Hon'ble Minister, MoRTH.
- Onboarded 10 leading SEA and OEMs of automatic parking systems for public tenders, optimizing public expenditure and fostering competitive pricing.
- Devised conflict resolution & feedback mechanisms using escalation matrix, mediation & reporting transparency to accelerate workflows and enhanced client adoption through project workshops for personnel.
- Liaised with external agencies and ministries (e.g., Fire Service, Urban Planning, Archaeology) to facilitate project sanctions and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements expediting timelines.
- Secured a $6.54 million investment from AFD France by leading a joint team of Kochi Metro Rail Corp., Smart City, and NHIDCL.
- Established a 90-point assessment framework for autonomous parking technology, facilitating ~$58 million in (cum.) technology purchases for public sector clients.
Technical Optimization, Design & Engineering Management:
- Developed recommendations using design thinking and Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) principles to optimize user experience & service performance across traffic management and policy advisory services.
- Created an in-house BIM pipeline for project centralization using Autodesk and Trimble packages, managing approx. 150-600 million data points per project.
- Executed pilot projects that improved holding capacity by 5X-7X with case-specific redundancy mechanisms, reducing significant urban congestion, enhancing environmental health metrics, and generating direct benefits in safety, space utilization, accessibility, etc.
- Developed technology assessment framework for automated parking systems based on international standards, gaining recognition across 3 Smart City Missions and & federal organizations (NHIDCL, MCD, CPWD), informing policy (masterplans & Smart City charters), and funding decisions.
- Designed IGBC-compatible green strategies, integrating PV plants, rainwater recharge systems, EV charging, etc., into a single envelope, pioneering Net Zero buildings with 130% energy efficiency.
- Configured technology platforms to enhance local traffic management, reducing retrieval time by 26% (from 270 to 70 secs) and queueing by 90%.
- Developed long-term project lifecycle (5-15 years) incorporating demand prediction, capacity expansion (up to 37%), revenue recognition methodologies, O&M frameworks using international benchmarks. (VDI & EN Norms).
- Produced stage-wise detailed project reports using RCA, scenario planning, SWOT, & PDCA, covering feasibility, proposals, development frameworks, detailed design & engineering Specs, BOM & Quality assurance manuals (for 600+ executable items), cost-benefit & investment analysis, project delivery SOPs, lifecycle planning (including alternative uses post terminal life) and O&M SOPs (including replacements & upgrades).
Project Management:
- Guided joint project teams through technology sensitization, operations and financial modeling, achieving an 80% conversion rate from proposals to successful projects.
- Developed techno-commercial briefs for leadership decision-making, effectively communicating local and system-level impacts to high-level bureaucrats, & technocrats, Smart City CXOs and ULB executives.
- Created modular templates for project stages, enhancing legal, technical, and engineering specifications and streamlining project execution processes.
- Developed audit sheets, execution protocols, and operational SOPs for cross-functional public projects covering civil, MEP, and technology scope.
- Improved supply chain efficiency by expanding procurement from alternative local vendors from allied industries using market research and product matching, resulting in cumulative cost savings of $5.5 million.
- Ensured structural compliance of projects with civil and mechanical components alongside clients’ third-party auditors (IIT Roorkee, NIT Raipur).
VSK Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd. | Associate Director
Business Strategy Development
- Ran the internal strategy project on B2B market development opportunities with growth developers, chalked organizational structure & operational frameworks based on the potential of core functions, resulting in 3 construction projects (valued at $ 14 million). Strengthened stakeholder management with CXO-level client leadership to convert recurrent contracts.
Cross-functional team Leadership
- Directed cross-functional teams of 60+ reports, spearheading business development and brand management initiatives. Focused on aligning team efforts with organizational goals to drive significant growth and enhance brand presence.
Digital Transformation and Implementation:
- Led the firm's digital transformation by implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Successfully trained and onboarded over 80 engineering professionals, substantially increasing data accuracy and accessibility for over 800 SKUs and heavy machinery.
- Innovated Workforce Management with integrated real-time data dashboards and facial recognition technology for managing a workforce of 1500+, enhancing efficiency and accountability in labor management.
- Utilizing VSK Associates’ (sister concern) synergic experience in urban consulting, improved the evaluation, procurement, and OM SOPs of heavy construction equipment and machinery for the company.
Operational Efficiency and Process Improvement:
- Established audits and centralized SOPs and KPIs to enhance oversight and routine tracking across 6+ construction projects. These efforts improved capital efficiency by 15%, ensuring better project management and streamlined operations.