Ashwani Lohani to railway officers: Think out of the box for better productivity

Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani has asked officers of the national transporter to think out-of-the-box for better productivity, enhanced earnings and improved infrastructure. In a letter to senior Railways officials dated February 26, Lohani said the plethora of circulars, policies and guidelines issued by different departments of the Railways act as 'disablers' in the delivery process.

"Many of the circulars, policies and guidelines issued by various directorates of the Board, albeit with good intentions, therefore often act as disablers, thereby going against the very intent of delivery that all of us need to aspire for. "It is also experienced that references made to the Railway Board on a variety of issues often go round in circles and the response thereof, most of the times is neither timely nor adequate," he said. Lohani further said the plethora of rules and processes for every single activity needs to change in order to improve deliverance.

"Artificial restrictions", he said, should not be allowed to come in the way of deliverance. Railways, he said, needed "course correction" and officers need to take decisions directed at delivery that would lead to better productivity, enhanced earnings, improved infrastructure, a satisfied workforce and improved service delivery. Lohani also asked officers to think out of the box in order to run the Railways professionally.

Asking the senior management to work with the best interest of Railways in mind, Lohani told them to do so even if that entailed going beyond the provisions that are mentioned in various circulars, policies issued by the Board. "It needs to be understood that delivery is sacrosanct and processes to achieve the same need to adapt, and are not meant to remain cast in stone at all times. I expect your proactive and bold indulgence on various issues in the overall interest of the organisation," he said.

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