Lalu the Fall!!

Lalu Prasad Yadav, 60, Minister of Railways

Result: 4/10

Lalu rode the gravy train with the six Railway Budgets he presented, doling out fare cuts. His biggest claim—generating a Rs 90,000 crore cash surplus—was laden with accounting jugglery, though he is quick to refute that. Under Lalu, the Railways transformed itself into a competitive transporter in the freight business but did not hike passenger fares.

HIS BRIEF

UPA’s CMP talked of increase in public investment for modernisation, track renewal, safety and reforms.

THE DELIVERIES

• Revolutionised the way people booked tickets with irctc.co.in, the e-ticket reservation website.

• A scheme to upgrade passengers to a higher class was a major hit.

• Introduced Garib Rath. By increasing the carrying capacity, Railways offered 45-50 per cent cheaper fares on air-conditioned travel.

REFORMS DERAILED

• Almost two years since the ministry announced plans to study the feasibility of running bullet trains, it is still to award the contract for a “pre-feasibility” study for the Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar High Speed Rail Corridor.

• Plan to set up electric and diesel locomotive manufacturing units in Madhepura and Chhapra got stuck.

• Engineering Directorate and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp tussled over the plan to set up 100 budget hotels near railway stations.

• The ministry’s Rs 50,000 crore project—two Dedicated Freight Corridors on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata routes—is awaiting funding from Japan and the World Bank.

• Plan to set up 26 world class railway stations across the country is stuck for want of identifying the private player for the project.

• Rail coach factory in Rae Bareli ran into trouble with the Mayawati government over land-ownership rights.

• 659 railways accidents, including 361 derailments, occurred between 2004 and 2007, killing 241, injuring 796. No heads rolled at senior levels.

REFORMS SCUTTLED

Opposed a move to have an independent regulator for the Railways, aimed at rationalising fare structures.

OPPORTUNITIES BLOWN

Lalu could not do much to improve the travelling experience. On-board catering went from bad to worse and cleanliness was lacking too.

SMART BYTE

“Indian Railways is like a Jersey cow. If you don’t milk it fully, it will fall sick.”

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

Lalu went public backing the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and said the Railways would offer its stadiums to the rebel cricket league to host matches. Within weeks, the Railways dropped the idea.

HIGH POINT

When he became ‘Professor Lalu’, speaking to Harvard students about the Railways’ “turnaround story”.

LOW POINT

When he was refused membership of the elite IIC, ostensibly because of his indictment in some court cases.

VIEW FROM THE SHADOW

“The brunt of his actions will be borne by the ministers succeeding him.” — Nitish Kumar, former Railway minister and Bihar CM

DID HE GET YOUR VOTE?

He won from Saran (Chhapra) by 52,571 votes and lost in Patliputra by 23,541.