Adoption of BIM in India: Architecture and Infrastructure Projects

During the India BIM Summit that took place in August 2018, Parveen Sharma, CEO of the BIM Engineers discussed the adoption of BIM in India.

The adoption of BIM in India

BIM work-sharing in India has become the 1^st choice for overseas based companies like: General Contractors, Design Consultants, Architects and Developers. Apart from companies in the AEC sector, there are other companies that are providing services in BIM such as HCL, WIPRO, ACCENTURE, TATA and many more. A variety of BIM services have been outsourced to Indian companies which include: 3D BIM Services, Scan to BIM services, Drawing Production, Virtual Reality, 4D Construction sequencing, 5D Cost Integration and Facility Management. These services make the future look promising, this, making India a prime destination for BIM outsourcing or work-sharing for global countries. As far as implementation in India, there are many opportunities. The Indian market is one of the largest and fastest growing construction industry. The Indian AECO industry employees more than 35 million people, and has the second highest inflow of foreign direct investment after the services sector, and contributes to about 11.1% of India’s GDP. Recent initiatives set by the Indian government, such as Make in India, is serving to grow the AECO industry, however, a mandate from the government has not been put in place yet. Countries like the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Australia and a few other countries have mandated the use of BIM in the public sector. BIM adoption efforts from the public sector is happening in more than thirty countries. This is not the case for India. Nevertheless, many big projects (including infrastructural projects) have been undertaken using BIM and related methodologies.

Projects constructed using BIM include:

Personal Rapid Transit in Amritsar, the scheduling, planning, designing, construction was all done using BIM technology. The Bangalore Airport has identified Autodesk BIM 360 as the design and planning of platform for the construction of the Terminal 2. The Neggur Metro Rail Corporation announced for its project the integration of 5D BIM technology. Delhi Metro Rail also used BIM technology for construction of the underground track. 

Use of software in India

A variety of BIM software is available. A study conducted by the the BIM engineers, revealed that Revit is the primary source for BIM users along with Navisworks. SketchUp is also popular for coordination and clash detection while Trimble Tekla products are popular among specialist consultants and constructors involved in complex structural configurations. Online collaboration and coordination tools are also gaining popularity among BIM users in India.

The Future of BIM

The future looks promising. Architectural firms are the top BIM users in the Indian market, followed by structural engineering consultants. Structural engineers are taking a longer time to adopt BIM, so too are mechanical, plumbing and interior consultants. It is time for a push. 

There has to be a shift in the mindset of key stakeholders. BIM implementation has many benefits, and government officials could do more by pushing for a government mandate that require BIM. At least in all mega projects. 

Another possibility is the creation of a certificate in BIM implementation and management for industry professionals. It is possible to help the construction industry better design projects before going on to site by changing the process and practices currently followed. For example, documenting successful BIM implementation efforts in India, developing project specific BIM implementation plans, and creating an India specific product library. 

It is important to show the better value propositions for all stakeholders. It would also be useful if there was a development of national standards and guidelines. In this sense, Zigurat, and the India BIM Association are helping drive this development. Curious as to why implementation of India is slow? Check out this article on the main roadblocks to BIM implementation in India.