Train 18 series, part VI..everyone aboard!

So, where had we reached as we crossed early days to mid 2017? Our Design, Procurement (called stores on IR) and Finance teams had started working with greater camaraderie and cooperation and this had shown results. The consultancy contracts were in place and the crucial procurement contracts were in various stages of completion.

ICF officers at this stage were overloaded with regular, incremental and project works. Most of the ace officers were overworked but then I also saw them doing their jobs with a smile. Why were they overloaded? Let me attest for you the basket of tasks at hand at ICF; while Train 18 project was definitely the bellwether, we had some very significant works in hand, e.g., stopping production of ICF design coaches and switch over completely to LHB design even as the overall production was to be increased from 2277 to 2500 coaches, design and manufacture of world class DEMUs for Sri Lanka,  design and manufacture of MEMUs, both with on-board and under-slung electrics, design and manufacture of AC EMUs with under-slung electrics, design and manufacture of first 3-phase Metro coaches for Kolkata Metro and so on apart from the transformational changes we had initiated in our maintenance & upkeep, rejuvenation of greenery, promotion of sports etc. The extent of additional workload on the key officers was, therefore, at a very high level.

I am a poor manager of my time and so work latish. One of the days, when I worked really late past 20.30 hrs, as I was leaving office, I met Sri Ankur Chauhan, the Materials Manager (Dy. Chief Materials Manager) of a crucial area, going towards his office floor. “Coming back from home to retrieve something you forgot?”, I asked. He wished me good night and smiled. As I got into my car, Sri Babu, the Secretary/ICF told me that this gentleman had to finalize so many contracts that he was never able to leave office before 21 hr. I later patted his back and told him that if he continued to work so late, I would be obliged to ascribe his late hours in office to something mysterious to his wife. He smiled once again and continued to work the way he did.

In IR, and indeed in all govt. organizations, we have this system of files for all decision-making processes. The much-maligned files! Much-maligned, not wrongfully, because these files move from table to table at excruciatingly slow speed. And we have some executives who are experts in diverting the issue at hand and send the file in a spin just because they do not want to commit to anything; the infamous jalebi. But the system has a merit. It has everyone concerned writing their views, which may not always be convenient or comfortable. Yet, you have a cross section of views. I have always thought that if the movement of these files can be expedited, it’s not such a bad system at all. One can use this system of file movement for the benefit of the organization. One has to declare clearly that all are encouraged to record contra views, never asking anyone to write/propose what one perceives to be in the interest of the organization. This practice of getting your underlings, if I may use the term, to put up comfortable notes on file is pretty prevalent on IR and as one would expect in contrived decision-making, it may frequently backfire. On the other hand, if the leader or the person where the buck stops has the courage of conviction to decide an issue in the direction she or he feels to be correct, in spite of adverse notes on the file, contra views help in preventing her or him from taking a wrong decision in the zeal to seal a decision fast. These views offer an opportunity to think more before deciding; they are by no means obstacles. I have tried this all my life; it works as the colleague working with you feel relaxed to examine issues freely, without fear or favour. Just one caveat: if you delay or send in gyration a file, a plate of jalebis await you, diabetes or not.

Another evidence that things were changing at ICF came forth when I had Finance officers approaching me with solutions to settle a case; that’s rare because Finance officers or IR have the responsibility to examine a case from the angle of financial implication and return, not to suggest to tweak an executive’s proposal to make it financially acceptable.

As all the consultancy contracts started in right earnest, a legion of Whatspp groups were created by our Design heads with participation by ICF officers & supervisors, consultants and identified vendors. I was, initially, kept as a member. Within days I had to scoot as the traffic was too high with matters getting too technical for me to comprehend or contribute. I thought it was wise to let the superior intelligence handle such nitty-gritty and not meddle with it. I was, however, always invited and I attended the face to face interaction with the consultants and I contributed as well. For example, there was a big debate with the consultants about the sidewall thickness of the car body; they insisted that we must have the standard 2mm sidewalls. Our experience, however, was that given the manufacturing capability of ICF, a 3 mm sidewall afforded us a much better exterior finish. It added some weight penalty but it was a preferred compromise. Eventually, I ruled in favour of a 3 mm sidewall with the understanding that as the tooling, processes and workmanship improved, we would switch over to 2 mm sheets.

Simultaneously, a multitude of groups were created for other contracts too with similar response. Obviously, the seriousness of the project had certainly become clear to all stakeholders.

Sri Vavre and Sri Srinivas, both Chief Design Engineers, had started making presentations in various meetings and conferences. A buzz was already getting generated as the Tran 18 work picked up. Used as we are on IR with overstatements, hype and embellishments in such presentations, I do not think there was a true comprehension that ICF was attempting to bridge a crucial gap in passenger rolling stock of IR. We did realize that, certainly, but even we did not envision that we were on to something momentous.

Talking of aggrandizement and hyperbole on something merely more of the same is a fad which, unfortunately, more often than not, works on IR, if presented smartly. In short, baloney and crock is digested as something sterling. We had to guard against that. We were doing great but we were not going to arrogate to ourselves a sense that we were doing something exceptional.

“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool”, says Touchstone in As you like it. We had to remember it all the time. Better be a fool now and wiser later than to be wise before the deed is done.

(travelling from today so to be continued after a break....)