New challenge for the ‘ turnaround man’
NEW APPOINTMENT As chairman of railway board, Ashwani Lohani will be under pressure to turn things around for the national carrier
NEWDELHI: Never in the appointment of a new chairman of the railway board have the responses been so undisputed.
“The right man for the right job” was a common remark heard Wednesday evening after the government issued an order nominating the chairman and managing director of Air India, Ash wa ni Lo ha ni, to the post, replacing AK Mitt al who stepped down in light of the two back-to-back train derailments.
Reasons for Lohani drawing such effusive praises are not far to find. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railways Service of Mechanical Engineers, Lohani has not only earned the reputation of being the “turnaround man” but is also respected for his “interpersonal skills”.
But things will not be easy for him in his new role. Rail finances are worrying, with the operating ratio (paisa spent against every rupee earned) currently placed at 94%. Lo ha ni will need to workout strategies to improve it.
Revamp/ restructure plans initiated by railways minister Suresh Prabhu have reached a halfway house. Rail bureaucracy seems directionless and distracted at this point. Lohani will need to work towards instilling a fresh work culture.
Lohani is a multi-faceted personality: A cutting-edge manager who is credited to have brought about the turn around of the India Tourism Development Corporation( IT DC) and the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) during his previous stints; a steam enthusiast, who was instrumental in putting up Indian rail on the world heritage map by upgrading the “steam shed” at Rewari.
It was because of Lohani’s initiatives that the Fairy Queen, the world’s oldest steam engine, had a run on Indian tracks – setting the Guinness record in 1998.
During his stint as the CMD of Air India, the national carrier posted operational profit in 2015-16 for the first time after its merger. The airline improved its passenger services, besides expanding to various domestic and international destinations.
With Limca National Record for four engineering degree, Lohani is a qualified chartered mechanical engineer from UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and holds degrees in electrical engineering, metallurgical engineering from the Institute of Engineers of India.
As the division al railway manager of Delhi, the Indian Railways received appreciation from the CAG in its audit report on the Commonwealth Games.