Interview: Rajesh Ganesh

MD & CEO at Bajel Projects Ltd.

Rajesh Ganesh on Bajel Project's Role in Powering India’s Energy Transition

June 18, 2025. By Abha Rustagi

At Bajel Projects, we recognise that GIS substations are becoming a cornerstone of critical infrastructure, said Rajesh Ganesh, MD & CEO, Bajel Projects Ltd., in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

Que: Could you brief us about the current size and composition of your order book?

Ans: Our end of the year unexecuted order book for FY’24 was INR 3,598 Cr. In FY’25 our focus was on execution, and the strong momentum in FY’25 is reflected in our year-on-year performance, with revenue from operations growing by 122 percent to INR 2,598.24 Cr, compared to INR 1,171.14 Cr in FY’24. Similarly, EBITDA rose by 152 percent to INR 90.17 Cr, up from INR 35.74 Cr in the previous year. This substantial growth underscores our ability to convert a healthy pipeline into active, revenue-generating projects.

Our focus over the last year was to selectively book high-quality public and private orders. We ended the financial year with unexecuted order book of INR 2,984 Cr. Looking ahead, we will concentrate on growing the order book while being highly selective about the projects and by focusing on risk, cash flows and diversification. Our expanding orderbook positions us strongly to maintain our growth trajectory, deepen our presence across key sectors, and continue delivering consistent value through disciplined execution and timely delivery.


Que: How are you adopting technological advancements such as monopole tower installations, installation of GIS sub stations and drone stringing?

Ans: At Bajel Projects, we are consistently embracing technological innovation to enhance efficiency, safety, and precision across our infrastructure development projects. The monopole tower installations, installation of GIS substations and integration of advanced tools such as drone stringing, reflect our commitment to staying at the forefront of engineering excellence.

We are increasingly deploying monopole towers in urban and space-constrained environments. These structures offer a compact footprint, faster installation, and reduced visual and environmental impact, making them ideal for modern infrastructure needs.

We're actively working with key trends in mind when it comes to the installation of GIS substations:
• Developing compact GIS solutions to accommodate the increasing power densities required by modern data centers.
• Exploring best practices to minimise environmental impact and enhance energy efficiency within our GIS offerings.
• Installing GIS substations that seamlessly integrate with smart grid technologies for enhanced monitoring, control, and optimised power management.

Drone stringing has revolutionised the way we execute transmission line projects, especially in rugged or inaccessible terrains. It not only accelerates project timelines but also significantly reduces risks to personnel by eliminating the need for manual stringing in hazardous conditions.

We're also transforming our organisation by leveraging AI, ensuring that the contracts and tenders are now simpler to navigate and understand.

By integrating these technologies into our core operations, Bajel Projects is not only improving execution efficiency but also ensuring that our solutions are future-ready, sustainable, and aligned with global best practices in the power transmission sector.


Que: With Bajel Projects recently securing its first order in the data centre segment, how is the company positioning itself to meet the power reliability and scalability demands of this sector?

Ans: Securing our inaugural data centre project marks a significant milestone for Bajel Projects as we strategically expand into the digital infrastructure domain. This project entails the design and construction of a 220/33 kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) along with a transmission line, tailored to meet the stringent power reliability and scalability requirements of modern data centers.

Data centres demand an uninterrupted power supply and the flexibility to scale operations rapidly. In India, the data centre market is expected to grow by 15x by 2030. Our expertise in delivering complex power infrastructure solutions positions us to address these challenges effectively. By integrating advanced technologies and adhering to best practices in engineering and project management, we aim to ensure high availability and operational efficiency for our clients.

This venture not only underscores our commitment to innovation but also aligns with our vision to support the evolving needs of the digital economy. We are dedicated to delivering robust and future-ready solutions that empower our clients to thrive in a connected world.


Que: How is Bajel building competence in GIS substations, especially given their growing relevance for critical infrastructure such as data centres?

Ans: At Bajel Projects, we recognise that GIS substations are becoming a cornerstone of critical infrastructure, especially for high-reliability applications such as data centres, metro networks, and urban substations where space constraints and uptime are non-negotiable.

To build deep competence in this area, we are investing in both technical expertise and strategic partnerships. We're collaborating with leading OEMs and technology providers to ensure that our designs are not only technically robust but also optimised for performance, scalability, and long-term reliability. We are applying a modular, compact design approach, with advanced control and protection systems that ensure operational continuity even under peak load conditions or fault scenarios.


Que: With India targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, what role do you see Bajel playing in supporting this transition?

Ans: India’s ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 presents both a significant challenge and a tremendous opportunity. To enable evacuation of this renewable energy, India’s grid will have to grow as 42 percent of India’s total transmission line capacity till date is to be added in 10 years (2022-32). At Bajel Projects, we see ourselves playing a critical enabling role in this transition by strengthening the backbone of the power sector, its transmission and distribution infrastructure.

With a proven track record in delivering Extra High Voltage (EHV) transmission lines and substations, Bajel is well-positioned to support the evacuation of power from renewable generation sites—often located in remote areas—to key consumption centres across the country.

We are actively participating in Green Energy Corridor projects and exploring opportunities to support hybrid and solar park developments through customised EPC solutions.

In addition, we are exploring strategic partnerships and innovations in areas such as green energy zones, energy storage integration, and smart substations, all of which are essential to building a modern and sustainable power network.

Bajel Projects is proud to contribute to India’s clean energy journey by delivering the core infrastructure required to integrate large-scale renewable energy, while ensuring the scalability, reliability, and resilience of the national grid.


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