Letter to BS: Pragmatic approach towards public perception needed by PMO

This is with reference to “Right signals” (April 11). While lauding the alacrity, attention to detail and sharp insight of the official in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), I am particularly thrilled to read your mention of “approach electrification from the point of view of optimality and reference to projected rate of return on investment”. Coming from the highest and most powerful group of administrators in the country, one must admire the details PMO goes through. Admittedly “Railways have, over the years, electrified high-traffic routes based on this criterion” but for PMO to notice that and flag the issue speaks volumes about their comprehension and attention to all aspects.

Even the suggestion to “conduct pilot runs for the advanced signaling technology (ETCS - Level 2)” before embracing the high-tech and super expensive European system is a great conservative and business-like approach to the issue. Talking of optimality and rate of return brings in the culture of evaluating proposals from a ‘business point of view’ as indeed a company board or the chief executive officer would do. We need such incisive and pragmatic approach more and that too with no or minimal consideration for public perception, vote bank responses, political mileage, coalition dharna etc — terms often used to justify wasteful expenditure.

Krishan Kalra  Gurugram 

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