Modulus Housing Secures ₹65 Crore Order for 20-Bedded Hospitals from Bihar Government

Chennai-based start-up Modulus Housing, incubated at IIT-Madras, has set its sights on a substantial ₹500 crore order from the Bihar government following its recent success in winning a ₹65 crore contract for constructing a 20-bed hospital. Co-founder P Gobinath revealed that discussions are underway with the Bihar government for a project spanning 1,293 locations, with an estimated value ranging between ₹400-500 crore.

Modulus Housing specializes in providing collapsible cabin dwellings, offering solutions for infrastructure challenges in disaster relief, refugee housing, defense, event management, medical and educational camps, hotels, MSME shops, and addressing housing needs for laborers at construction sites. Describing their focus as "microconstruction," Gobinath explained that their projects are typically under 3,000 square feet and around ₹50 lakhs each.

One distinctive feature of Modulus's construction approach is its emphasis on rapid construction. Projects are completed within 2 to 3 working days, depending on the geography, while the constructions are designed to have a lifespan of around 50 years with proper maintenance.

The demand for quick infrastructure development, coupled with the time constraints faced by traditional construction methods, has led state governments to opt for Modulus's efficient and rapid construction solutions. Abhijeet Jobi, Head of Finance at Modulus Housing, highlighted the challenges faced by large companies in mobilization when adopting distributed construction methods across multiple locations.

Modulus Housing's journey began in 2018 when IIT Madras alumni Shree Ram Ravichandran and P Gobinath founded the company with initial support from their fathers, who invested ₹15 lakhs. Identifying the need for quick, portable housing during the 2015 Chennai floods, the company has since diversified its projects, including the construction of around 3,000 hospital beds across 21 states during the pandemic.

In addition to collaborations with major clients such as TATA, Lenovo, AIF, and Shapoorji Pallonji, Modulus Housing is gearing up for international expansion, with plans to enter the South African market. The start-up initiated its pilot export order to Malawi in East Africa last year and aims to explore further opportunities once the specific usage period is over, according to Abhijeet Jobi.

HBL