Two Potain MC 475 special application cranes are at the centre of a major hydroelectric power project in northern India. Access to the job was a huge challenge, as steep valley walls and mountains surrounded the site and required careful planning when transporting the tower cranes. Upon completion, the new dam will span a remote section of the Alknanda River in Uttarakhand, northern India. Apurba Kumar Mandal, Territory Service Manager for Manitowoc Crane Care in India, was part of the team that moved and assembled the cranes. He said checking the roads and planning the route was the most difficult part. "The roads leading to the jobsite are not designed for transporting heavy equipment, so our engineers checked that they were in good condition before shipping the cranes," he said.

AK Goel is Equipment Manager at Larsen & Toubro, the main contractor on the project and the company that owns the cranes. He said that because of the weather conditions and tough environment, the company wanted reliable, durable and proven equipment.

The 25T cranes are lifting general construction materials to build the $730 million dam. The 4-year project will create a 330 MW hydroelectric power station. The two Potain cranes were erected in October 2009 by technicians from L&T and Manitowoc Crane Care. Each has been ideally positioned for maximum reach, with one running on a 30 m track for additional coverage.