Delhi Metro Project – A Classic Example of Proficient Project Management

The Delhi Metro Rail Project has created a benchmark inefficient project management practices despite the challenges. The article reveals the project management strategies and techniques that were adopted by Dr.E Sreedharan as a leader to ensure that the Metro project in the national capital gets completed within the time and budgetary allocations.

The article is divided into segments. Each segment dictates the important aspects of Delhi Metro management’s style such as integrity, time management, professional competency, target orientation, punctuality, crisis management and much more.

Delhi Metro – A world record in project execution

Dr.E Sreedharan was able to complete the first phase of the project in seven years and three months – almost two years and nine months ahead of schedule. Whereas the second phase which covers a distance of 125 kilometers was completed in a period of four and a half years which was a world record.

Although this project faced a lot of technical difficulties it managed to establish a world record. This is because the Delhi metro project management executed the plan with an entirely different style and fashion. This initial achievement helped Dr.E Sreedharan lead bigger achievements in future.

Delhi Metro – How punctuality was built into the management of the project

The Delhi Metro project management team followed strict discipline and punctuality. Everyone understood their responsibilities and worked towards it right from the beginning in order to achieve the project’s vision. Stricter discipline and ground rules helped the team bear fruition in the long run.

Delhi Metro Reverse Clocks – Helping the organization meet tight deadlines

E Sreedharan’s routine was no different when he was implementing the Delhi Metro rail project on tight deadlines. He always knew how to manage his time. At the project sites of Delhi Metro, he set up reverse clocks to show impending deadlines. He ensured that the team kept an eye on the deadline and facilitated quicker decisions. He efficiently delegated the work to his associates and supported the entire project team wholeheartedly at every phase. This action helped the Delhi Metro project management team execute the operation much faster and quicker.

Delhi Metro – The importance of Integrity in project management

Dr.E Sreedharan’s definition of success is not just about completing a project on time but completing it with transparent integrity.It helped build trust amongst stakeholders. Also, made the Delhi Metro rail project get executed smoothly.

Delhi Metro – Building Professional Competence has paid huge dividends

Dr. E Sreedharan encouraged his team to strive for mastery. For the first phase of Delhi Metro, DMRC had hired foreign consultants. But by the second phase onwards, the Delhi Metro management was entirely on their own. They learned the tricks of the trade during the execution of the first phase itself and knew enough to challenge the consultants.

Employing experts helped the project team learn and gain expertise. This knowledge was later used in other similar projects.

Delhi Metro – Social responsibility leads to fiscal prudence in project management

For Dr.E Sreedharan, there was more to a metro project than engineering excellence, effective project management and use of the latest technology. It’s was about serving the people.

He always kept in mind that that the money spent on the project is the taxpayer’s money. And for this reason, he ensured the project was well planned - inorder to minimize inconvenience to general public.

That’s not all, the Delhi Metro team on their own even decided that for every tree cut during the project, they’ll plant ten trees as compensatory afforestation.With this act of stupendous social responsibility,the Delhi Metro project became one of its kind.

Delhi Metro – Making contractors as partners in project implementation

Dr.E Sreedharan had always been respectful towards its stakeholders. He knew the project’s success depended a lot on the work of contractors, hence he made sure to have a good relationship with them. He won the trust of the stakeholders by ensuring the contractors are paid on time. This, in turn, helped him deliver the project with better results within the stipulated time.

Dr.E Sreedharan’s Delhi metro project had covered all the aspects necessary for successfully managing projects. Therefore, this Delhi metro project case study is very informative for those readers who want to know more about project management techniquesand strategies. It will immensely benefit the managers and students who wish to emulate and learn how a project can be implemented successfully.

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