Meet the new TRAI Chief Anil Kumar Lahoti

Anil Kumar Lahoti, the former Railway Board chairman and CEO, assumed charge as the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday.

Lahoti now occupies the position that became vacant following the retirement of PD Vaghela on September 30, 2023.

Lahoti, a member of the 1984 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), brings a wealth of experience to his new role as TRAI chief. Before assuming the position of railway board chairman, he served as a Member (Infrastructure) of the Railway Board.

Originally from Kusmoda, Guna, Madhya Pradesh, he pursued his education in a government school before graduating with a Gold Medal in Civil Engineering. He furthered his academic pursuits by earning a Master of Engineering (Structures) from the University of Roorkee (IIT, Roorkee).

Lahoti has undergone training in Strategic Management and Leadership programmes at institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA; the Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy; and the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad.

His professional endeavours have taken him across the globe, where he conducted studies on the development of stations in various countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, Germany, and Switzerland. Lahoti's expertise also extends to commercial development on railway land. Additionally, he has visited numerous countries to study advancements in track technology and track maintenance machines.

Credited with the planning and construction of the Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi and the Ajmeri Gate side station building of New Delhi station, he has had a career spanning more than 36 years. 

During his tenure as General Manager of Central Railway and Western Railways, he oversaw significant increases in freight and parcel traffic, leading to unprecedented revenue generation. Lahoti also implemented initiatives aimed at enhancing revenue streams through non-fare opportunities, scrap sales, and rigorous ticket-checking drives.

In addition, Lahoti addressed challenges related to expanding air-conditioned suburban services in Mumbai and facilitated the execution of infrastructure projects, such as the 5th and 6th lines between Diva and Thane in Mumbai, under Central Railway's purview.

As Divisional Railway Manager in Lucknow, Northern Railway, Lahoti focused on improving freight movement along the Lucknow-Varanasi-DDU route as an alternative to the congested Ghaziabad-Prayagraj-DDU route. His efforts led to enhancements in passenger amenities and cleanliness standards across Lucknow division stations.

In his capacities as Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) and Chief Engineer (Construction) on Northern Railway, Lahoti played key roles in executing various infrastructure projects, including new lines, track doubling, yard remodelling, and station development. He also contributed to the planning for the redevelopment of New Delhi station, integrating commercial development opportunities into the project.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com