25 MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR DELHI METRO’S SUCCESS….

…THE
SREEDHARAN WAY
Author: Mr. Anuj Dayal

Price: Rs 350.00

Reviewed by: Prof. Biju Varkkey, IIM, Ahmedabad

Ms. Namrata Arora, Harvard Business School

Mr. Mangu Singh, Managing Director, DMRC

A Synopsis

The book, “25 Management Strategies for Delhi Metro’s Success, The Sreedharan Way” is
an attempt to encapsulate the management strategies that the Delhi Metro management
adopted in implementing its first two phases of construction, in the form of 25 different
chapters.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has created a benchmark in efficient
infrastructure project construction and operation despite facing the hurdles and obstacles
usually encountered by public sector organizations in India. The book reveals the strategies
and methods that were adopted to ensure that the Metro projects in the national capital
were completed within time and budgetary allocations.

The book divides these strategies into 25 chapters and dedicates each chapter to the
important aspects of Delhi Metro’s management style such as integrity, professional
competency, target orientation, punctuality, crisis management, pace of construction and so
on.

Each chapter contains interesting anecdotes that narrate the extent of hard work and
commitment shown by DMRC personnel in implementing the project within schedule. For
example, the chapter ‘Speed of Decisions’ mentions that the construction sites were
inspected by DMRC’s first Managing Director Dr. E Sreedharan and the other Directors on
holidays such as Diwali and Christmas also to ensure that the work was not delayed even
by a day.
The chapters are also accompanied by rare photographs and illustrations that further
explain the dedication with which these strategies were implemented by each member of
the DMRC family. Other aspects such as Delhi Metro’s concern for the environment, its
continuous efforts to keep the system clean have also been adequately covered by the
book.

This publication is a brilliant case study for organizations cutting across all sectors which are
currently scripting India’s march as a superpower. India is today at the threshold of attaining
the enviable status of a world power. Our industries and corporates have already shown the
potential that we have in emerging as a major player globally.

In such a scenario, this book will be of immense help to the corporate world, as it very
lucidly narrates, how major projects can be implemented in this country within time and
budgetary constraints despite many multifarious problems such as redtapism, bureaucratic
hurdles and officialdom.

The book is also an excellent study on the challenges that are faced by the corporate
leaders in project execution, especially in the Indian conditions. It contains many interesting
anecdotes about the manner in which Dr. E Sreedharan tackled different kinds of obstacles
and undue pressures during the course of the Metro construction work.

About the Author

Mr. Anuj Dayal is the Head of Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs of the
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. He has been associated with the Delhi Metro Rail project right
since the beginning and is an integral member of the core project implementation team of
the corporation. This book is an expression of the experiences and observations of Mr.
Dayal during his more than a decade long tenure with DMRC.

Rave Reviews Received So Far From The Management Experts:

Professor Biju Varkkey, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

 This is an eminently readable book that spans across all the aspects related to the
Delhi Metro. This book will immensely benefit the managers and students who wish
to emulate and learn about the functioning of the Metro.

 The book provides interesting insights into important project execution requirements
such as leadership, man management, contractor management and above all, the
need to become good human beings.
  The book makes for extremely lucid reading and is enriched by rare photographs
and anecdotes. The photograph of the Metro coach coming out of an aircraft is worth
mentioning, as it showed DMRC’s urgency to complete the task at hand by going
beyond the accepted practice of bringing coaches by sea.

 Reading this book would make all of us proud of our country as it shows how
projects can be successfully implemented if executed with integrity. 

 Mr. Anuj Dayal has been with the DMRC for a long time and has seen this
organization develop from very close quarters. This experience has helped him to
deeply analyse the management strategies and present them very lucidly and
interestingly in the form of this book.

Ms. Namrata Arora, Harvard Business School 

 The book provides an insightful overview into the brilliant journey of the Delhi Metro
and Dr. Sreedharan’s profound influence in creating an efficient work culture.

Mr. Mangu Singh, Managing Director, DMRC

 This wonderful book reflects the unique work culture of the DMRC and the core
values established and strengthened by Dr. E Sreedharan which have helped Delhi
Metro to become so successful.
 All aspects necessary for successful project management have been adequately
covered in this book. Therefore, this book will be very informative for those readers
who want to know more about the Metro.
 It has been written in very easy language and makes for interesting reading. This
book is a result of the practical experiences gained by the author and not a
theoretical document.

The book is available for sale at the Metro Museum Souvenir Shop, Patel Chowk Metro
station, New Delhi, the Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Vishwavidyalaya, HUDA City Centre,
NOIDA City Centre; Karol Bagh, INA, Lajpat Nagar and Rohini West Metro stations and
some selected book stores across Delhi. The book can also be purchased online from
www.flipkart.com, www.infibeam.com and www.indiamart.com. The cost is Rs. 350/-.
About the Book

Ch. 1 – DMRC Management

The first chapter of the book, ’25 Management Strategies For Delhi Metro’s Success….The
Sreedharan Way’ deals with the all important topic – DMRC’s management. It lays bare the
basic tenets of DMRC’s management style which have made the organization such a major
success. Crucial aspects such as the weekly heads of department meeting that takes all
major decisions, the importance of spiritualism, focus on fast decision making etc have been
discussed in details.

Ch. 2 – Integrity

Integrity has been ingrained into the work culture of DMRC and therefore, it is an extremely
important management strategy. The chapter talks about the methods which have been
incorporated to ingrain integrity among the employees. One such method is the practice of
giving a copy of the Gita Makaranda to all officers of the organization during the time of their
joining.

Ch. 3 – Professional Competency

Right since the beginning, DMRC has focused on enhancing the professional competency
of all its employees. This chapter discusses the various initiatives that have been taken by
the management to boost the professional competency of the employees, such as exposure
trips abroad, establishment of a state of the art training school etc.

Ch. 4 – Target Orientation

The Delhi Metro has been able to achieve its targets primarily because it has always given a
lot of importance towards finishing the work before schedule. Innovative approaches such
as the installation of reverse countdown clocks that remind the employees about the
impending deadlines of their projects have been thoroughly discussed in this chapter.

Ch. 5 – Role of Finance

In DMRC, the finance department is considered a part of the executive. The senior officers
of the department attend all the important meetings of the organization so that they are also
kept informed about the gravity and importance of the projects at hand. In order to ensure
timely compliance on the part of the contractor, the finance department also focuses on
timely payments to them so that the progress of work is not hindered.

Ch. 6 – Role of Legal Department

The Delhi Metro project has been constructed in a very congested and crowded city. As a
result, the work has also involved some unavoidable aspects such as demolitions of
buildings, acquisition of land, displacement of families and businesses etc. Therefore, a
large number of litigations have also been made against the organization from time to time.
Dr. E Sreedharan, the first Managing Director of DMRC could anticipate this right at the
beginning and therefore, stressed on building a strong legal team. As a result of the
efficiency of the legal officers of Delhi Metro, the courts have always taken a very
sympathetic view and mostly ruled in favour of DMRC citing the overall benefits that the
project has brought to the citizens.

Ch. 7 – Role of Public Relations

This chapter deals in details about the importance that DMRC has given to the proper
management of the media in a city like Delhi which has a huge media presence. The Public
Relations set up of DMRC has been able to generate over 20,000 positive articles about the
project over the last two decades. Many more such interesting anecdotes find a place in the
chapter.

Ch. 8 – Officials

Careful handling of officials at all levels of hierarchy is very crucial to the successful
management of any project. In this chapter, the author has elaborately discussed the
strategies that ensured competent handling of all officials.

Ch. 9 – Punctuality

In DMRC, the philosophy is that if an employees is late to reach his office, neither can he
finish the construction work in time, nor can he ensure the timely operation of the trains. The
importance given to the maintenance of punctuality has been discussed in length in this
chapter.
Ch. 10 – Crisis Management

DMRC today runs over 200 train sets in a network of 190 kilometres for about 18 hours a
day. On the other hand the project wing has been involved in construction of hundreds of
kilometres of Metro lines in a congested environs of the national capital. In such a scenario,
crises, both major and minor have been a constant companion of the DMRC. The tenth
chapter of the book deals with this very aspect of Metro functioning.

Ch. 11 – Cleanliness and Safety

In DMRC, cleanliness is considered next to Godliness. The great pains that DMRC takes to
ensure cleanliness and safety of the Metro premises, have been dealt with thread bare in
this chapter.

Ch. 12 – Pace of Construction

The fast pace at which Delhi Metro has been able to implement its projects is now a topic of
research for many management schools. While the first phase of 65 kilometres was finished
a good two years and three months ahead of schedule, the second phase consisting of 125
kilometres was completed in only four and a half years. So, how could DMRC achieve these
steep targets within the budgetary limitations, without compromising on the quality? The 12 th
chapter of the book discusses the same in details.

Ch. 13 – A Profitable Metro

Delhi Metro is among very few Metros all over the world which are making operational
profits. DMRC has focused a lot on exploring alternative modes of earnings such as
property development, consultancy etc. This chapter has discussed DMRC’s business
model, which have helped it to earn profits despite keeping the prices at a reasonable level.

Ch. 14 – Partnerships

In course of its journey, DMRC has forged successful partnerships with many prestigious
organizations and firms all over the world, which have helped it to execute its projects in
time. This chapter discusses about these partnerships and DMRC’s strategy to consider the
contractors equal stake holders in the entire process.
Ch. 15 – Systems – Vigilance and Audit

A strong and independent vigilance department has been set up in DMRC which keeps a
close tab on all the developments within the organization and makes sure that corrupt
practices are immediately apprehended and the involved are brought to task.

Ch. 16 – Environment

DMRC is the first railway in the world to earn carbon credits for its environment friendly
initiatives. Apart from providing a non polluting mode of transport to the people of the city
Delhi Metro has earned many laurels from prestigious bodies such as the United Nations.
This chapet makes for an interesting reading as it discloses many such efforts made by
DMRC.

Ch. 17 – Economic Rate of Return

This chapter discloses the actual benefits that the people of the city have been able to
derive from the Metro project so far. Aspects such as the annual time cost saved for the
passengers, annual fuel cost saved for the passengers have been presented lucidly in this
chapter.

Ch. 18 – Outsourcing

In order to maintain a lean and thin work force, DMRC has outsourced some of its ancillary
activities such as housekeeping and ticketing. Such initiatives have also helped the
organization save a lot of expenditure. The 18 th chapter of the book discusses these
revolutionary strategies thoroughly.

Ch. 19 – Delegation of Powers

Delegation of powers is one of the most important aspects for most public sector
organizations. DMRC vested most major powers on the Managing Director, so that quick
decisions could be taken without unnecessary paper work. This step has helped the
organization achieve its targets within schedule.

Ch. 20 – Speed of Decisions

In DMRC, taking incorrect decisions is acceptable but delaying in decision making is not
tolerated. Many more such interesting facets of Metro functioning have been mentioned in
this chapter.
Ch. 21 – Consultancy

Apart from executing the Delhi Metro project on time, DMRC has also provided consultancy
to all major upcoming Metro projects in the country. Delegations have also come from many
other countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland etc to study the Delhi
Metro. This chapter provides an overview of the major consultancy projects that DMRC has
taken and completed.

Ch. 22 – Balancing Different Streams

DMRC is a combination of many different departments and streams such as civil

engineering, electrical engineering, maintenance, operations etc. all of them must combine
well to ensure efficiency and competence. The 22 nd chapter of the book looks into this
important aspect of Metro functioning.

Ch. 23 – Customer Care

DMRC gives a lot of importance to its commuters. In order to address their queries and
grievances each station is equipped with customer care centres. The staff deputed at these
centres are trained in DMRC’s training school. Custom made training modules have been
created in consultation with experts to ensure that DMRC’s customer care assistants
provide the best quality customer care to the commuters.

Ch. 24 – Personal Fitness

In DMRC, yoga and meditation habits are inculcated among the employees to keep them
healthy and in sound mind. This chapter focuses on this interesting aspect of Delhi Metro’s
work culture.

Ch. 25 – Steady Leadership

Steady leadership right since the beginning of the Delhi Metro project has been one of the
main reasons for its resounding success. Dr. E Sreedharan led the project for more than a
decade and steered it through the important phases of the planning, construction and
subsequent commissioning of different phases of the project.