Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been almost a one man show with Sreedharan towering above all the others in his well selected team. However he is not going to be there for ever and has already been talking of calling it a day, soon after the targets for Commonwealth Games have been met. Though he has been talking of grooming a suitable successor, the few who joined him at the start would hardly be in a position to continue for more than a couple of years. Sreedharan is already 77 and his 6 full time Directors, except two, are all above 60 !
The recent accidents have already claimed one of the two under-60 Directors?Vijay Anand who was in-charge of the Central Secretariat-Badarpur line has opted to go back to the Railways, leaving just Mangoo Singh, the Director (Works), a quite, efficient and unassuming Railway Civil Engineer aged about 55 perhaps as the heir apparent .
Making it?s debut more than a decade ago, the DMRC has undoubtedly built up an impressive record of efficiency and timely execution of its projects, within the budget. It has already built up an impressive ridership of nearly a million a day, taking away from the Delhi?s congested roads a sizable chunk of traffic.
However the unfortunate mishaps of the last two days have put in doubt the safety aspects of ongoing work.
It has also thrown up a number of questions about the extent to which Sreedharan, has lost his grip on his work force. Maybe the highly talented, competent and committed middle level managerial team which he had carefully built up over the years is no longer with him.
Keeping his team lean, highly focused and responsive has been Sreedharan?s forte, even when he was building the 450 km long Konkan Railway on India?s west coast, considered an engineering marvel. The same principle stood him in good stead at DMRC, till his well chosen team began to dis-integrate.
Starting with departure of his right hand man, CVK. Rao, who opted for greener pastures in the private sector, quite a few middle level managers who were on deputation, went back to the Railways. Having completed their term on deputation and not finding much avenue for career advancement, it was perhaps the natural choice. CVK Rao, well known for his integrity and competence, was a pillar of strength and it has been difficult for Sreedharan to find a suitable replacement.
Regrettably the new Metro systems being set up in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad, did not much care for Sreedharan?s advice and chose to chart their own path. The valuable expertise gained by those who had put in quite a few years of service at DMRC was thus lost, when they found no takers at the new Metro projects and hence chose to go back to Railways.
It is quite understandable that with the stiff targets for completion of 121 km of Phase II, the contractors as well as the DMRC personnel are under intense pressure to deliver, and could be tempted to cut corners. Inadequate monitoring at various levels could also enhance the possibility of substandard work.
Seized of the problem, Sreedharan has now set in motion a massive audit check to ensure that construction so far is as per specification and there is no more room for any more such mishaps at various work sites. More than that, he has to perhaps take a reality check of his existing team, weeding out the non-performers and inducting fresh blood. Building Metros is very much a growth area and those who opt to join his team now are bound to reap rich dividends with the private sector snapping them up in years to come a la CVK Rao !
Manmohan Singh has already initiated a move towards inducting experts form the private sector to man top slots in projects of national importance such as nominating Nandan Nilekani for the Unique Identification Number .
Hopefully DMRC will continue to build a strong managerial base from which future MDs would emerge, eliminating the possibility of MD DMRC becoming a parking slot for a young bureaucrat on the way to join higher echelons in one of the numerous ministries.
While DLF has gained from Rao?s rich experience, many other private entities are also eagerly dipping into the vast talent pool of managers and technical staff offering highly attractive salary packages, to serving and even retired Railway technocrats.
Resultantly at any given day there are almost 300 applications pending with the Railway Board, all seeking permission to retire prematurely. So, not much hope here for DMRC to continue to draw officers on deputation from this source even when offered handsome allowances and a posting in Delhi.
?The author is a former member (mechanical) of the Railway Board