Learning the principles of project management

Between 2001 and 2004, the population of India’s capital Delhi increased from nearly 14 million to over 15 million. According to the 2003 United Nations World Urbanization Prospects, by 2015 Delhi is expected to be the second largest agglomeration, or extended city, in the world after Tokyo.

This growth led to the implementation of the Delhi Metro, India’s second metro system, to ease the strain on transportation throughout the city.

Building of the first phase of the Delhi Metro - three lines which stretch for 65.1 kilometres - was completed within the estimated cost and under the projected time, from 1998 to 2005 rather than 2008. In 2007, the metro took 17,000 vehicles off the road, prevented 1,700 tonnes of poisonous gas from being released in the air, and during construction it was reported that there was no inconvenience or disruption in the city.

This success has been attributed to good project management on the part of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which is owned by the Government of India and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Successful projects such as this are used as case studies and exposed to participants at workshops jointly organised by the Strategic Management Group, a management consultancy in India, and the Commonwealth Secretariat. These workshops - funded by the Secretariat - train businesspeople in the unique skills of good project management.

“It is vital for officials from across the public sector in Commonwealth countries to learn about the many do’s and don’ts of running large-scale programmes which often fall foul due to a lack of effective management,” said Mohammed Jasimuddin, the Secretariat’s Governance and Institutional Development Adviser for Asia.

The workshops provide a mix of theoretical and practical aspects of project management from concept to commissioning, including project appraisal, financing, contract and disaster management as well as highlighting best practices, like the DMRC, through site visits. Beneficiaries are those from Commonwealth Asian countries who work in planning and project management.

These workshops contribute to improving the analytical powers of senior public officials in the many projects they are charged with executing. The lessons in good practice – like the Delhi Metro – which they come away with help equip them in their own preparation for the management of a wide number of public-sector programmes across South Asia.

“India has considerable experience which other countries should benefit from. There is a need to disseminate the philosophy and principles of project management. Without projects, development cannot take place. Ultimately, your objective is to bring about economic prosperity,” said Rangaswamy Sampat, Management Consultant with the Strategic Management Group.

The next such workshop is planned for this December in Delhi. Like the other three workshops which have taken place in recent years, this event will also focus on innovations in public sector management. The Secretariat will work with the Indian Institute of Public Administration on delivering this programme to senior officials from across Asia.

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• Country Profile: India