Sridhar Babu urges young engineers to tackle rising climate change, urbanisation, pollution issues

Hyderabad: Promotion of composite and steel structures for high-rise buildings in Hyderabad has changed the landscape of the city, and young engineers are looking at sustainable solutions in the construction industry, said minister for IT, Electronics and Industry D Sridhar Babu.

Sridhar Babu was addressing the gathering of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India) [ACCE(I)] for their two-day conference on high-rise buildings in Gachibowli.

Eco-friendly construction practices

Stating that young engineers are the backbone of New India, Sridhar Babu said that the Telangana government’s commitment to eco-friendly construction practices is a vital solution to global challenges such as climate change, urbanisation, pollution and rising carbon emissions.

The minister urged civil engineers to embrace this transformative journey actively.

Telangana construction sector in numbers

Emphasising the State’s welfare initiatives, Sridhar Babu revealed plans to distribute 500,000 Indiramma houses to eligible beneficiaries within the next three and a half years.

The Telangana construction sector has registered a growth of 11.9 per cent in the fiscal year 2024-25. This has contributed Rs 80,000 crore to the State economy.

This accounts for 24.9 per cent of the gross value in the services sector, he explained.

Vertical expansion in urban areas

Sridhar Babu said, “The number of high-rise buildings in all major metro cities is rapidly increasing. Hyderabad alone has over 200 buildings taller than 100 meters, with another 250 currently under various stages of construction.” He stressed that this growth necessitates a responsible and environmentally conscious approach.

Shift to composite steel structures

A key recommendation from the minister was the shift from traditional Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structures to composite and steel structures for high-rise developments.

He outlined several benefits, including a potential 40 per cent reduction in construction time, a 30 per cent decrease in structural weight, superior seismic resistance, minimised construction-related pollution and adherence to circular economy principles through recyclability.

AI in construction sector

“Telangana is not merely speaking of innovation, it is implementing it,” said Sridhar Babu, citing the steel bridges already accessible to city residents as a testament to this vision. He also highlighted the integration of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence in the construction sector.

He mentioned BuildNow, a portal that has been designed to enhance speed, accountability and transparency in building permissions.

Uniform national code for steel high-rise buildings

The State government is planning to collaborate with the Central government and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to establish uniform national codes for composite steel high-rise building designs.

Civil engineers must innovate and think beyond the conventional methods, urged Sridhar Babu.

“Forward-thinking professionals will be given full support from the Telangana government,” he said.

He expressed confidence that these initiatives, coupled with smart cities and sustainable housing, would enable the state economy to reach a $3 trillion milestone by 2047.

Conference participants

The conference had nearly 800 participants from across India, served as a vital knowledge-sharing hub.

Prominent industry figures, including Rajkumar Kacharla, president, South, VP, ACCE(I), Kashiram Adepu, governing council member and immediate past chairman, ACCE (I) Hyderabad Centre, Bheem Rao Jaligama, vice-chairman and in-charge chairman, ACCE(I) Hyderabad Centre, and C Ramesh, secretary, ACCE(I), addressed the gathering. They collectively emphasised the increasing relevance of steel and composite technologies in high-rise construction and the need for sustainable and resilient urban growth.

Rajkumar Kacharla articulated the broader vision, stating, “We are not just constructing buildings, we are crafting a sustainable legacy for generations to come. This conference is a vital platform for knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration, and inspiring new ideas that will drive the sustainable and resilient growth of our cities.”

Kashiram Adepu added, “The vertical growth of urban regions and tier I & II cities demands that engineers keep pace with evolving best practices. This conference is a catalyst, inspiring engineers, policymakers, and innovators to embrace smarter, safer, and more sustainable construction methods that will define our skylines for decades.”