Leading Indian Railways: corporatization initiatives and challenges

Prabhakar, Guru Prakash

Abstract

Indian Railways operate around 15,000 trains everyday and carry 18 million passengers everyday which is equivalent to transporting people of 46 countries with minimum population from one place to another. It is a tremendous operation. Indian Railways is a safe, reliable, punctual and quick mode of public transport. Its efficiency and affordable fares have come as a boon to passengers who are increasing in numbers to make use of it to reach destination in time. Mr I.I.M.S. Rana, who as the Chairman (now former) of the Indian Railway Board has been able to enthuse all sections of its staff and has succeeded in getting them to think and work on positive lines. Indian Railways took a very vital decision of restructuring to make it efficient. This was despite very stiff resistance from various quarters, including representatives of 1.5 million staff and officers’ Unions. So much was the resistance that they told Mr Rana on his face repeatedly that if you take such a decision, your name will be written in black letters in the History of Indian Railways for breaking and destroying Indian Railways. However because of Mr Rana’s conviction the railways went ahead and implemented the restructuring. Today, the railways stands as a shining example of what motivation can do to make employees productive.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2011
• Journal: International Journal of Public Sector Management
• Print ISSN: 0951-3558
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 3
• Keywords: leadership, culture, India
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/963608
• Publisher URL: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0951-3558&volume=24&issue=3&articleid=1916985&show=html