- Metro Man of India E Sreedharan was the mastermind behind India's first Metro Rail Project Kolkata Metro, as its Deputy Chief Engineer way back in 1970
- E Sreedharan’s first achievement was the repairing project of Pomban Bridge, an incredible project which was completed within record 45 days
- His engineering expertise proved to be instrumental in the timely completion of the Delhi Metro project before CWG 2010
From architectural marvels to incredible infrastructure, India’s engineering mega minds are the true pillars of the nation’s growth. Defying the oddities of the conventional approach, these stalwarts are the builders of modern India. Elattuvalapil Sreedharan or E Sreedharan, popularly known as ‘Metro Man’ of India for heroic exploits with Delhi Metro, is one among those changemakers who defied strong opposition in the time of the Delhi Metro the project, one of the key projects which became an issue of national prestige in the lead up to Common Wealth Games 2010 in New Delhi.
The Journey of a Changemaker
Born on 12 June 1932 in Malabar district, British India, he completed his Civil Engineering degree from the Government Engineering College, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, presently known as Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. Starting his career as a lecturer in Government Polytechnic, Kozhikode and his stint with Bombay Port Trust as an apprentice, he subsequently joined the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) in 1953 and his first assignment was in the Southern Railway as a Probationary Assistant Engineer in December 1954.
His first major assignment turned out to one of India’s most incredible projects ever – the Pamban Bridge – which was washed away by a cyclone in 1964 December. He showed mettle and completed the restoration and repairing task within 45 days only. He was awarded the prestigious Railway Minister’s award in recognition of his hard work. Kolkata Metro was another major milestone of his career where he was assigned the planning implementation, designing and development of the first metro railway in India.
Around the time of his retirement in 1990, the government requested his services and was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan railway by the then railway minister George Fernandes.
Heroic Exploits with Delhi Metro
For timely completion, when there was a proposal to give the Delhi Metro project to E Sridharan, a retired Railway Engineer, several questions were raised by old bureaucrats of the Railway Ministry, then Delhi’s Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana Delhi and many other politicians.
India was awarded the 2010 edition of the Games and Delhi was selected as a venue provided Delhi improved its city mobility speed, along with reduction of pollution caused by Diesel run DTC buses. Around 1998-99, the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to intervene in the battle among Delhi Chief Minister, Railway Minister, Bureaucrats, Railway Board etc. who wanted metro as per their recommendation, otherwise opting for more DTC buses or keen on their own share in the big pie.
The deadlock created a worry for the Prime Minister as timely completion of the project was linked to CWG 2010 and the infrastructure was to be ready by 2008, failing which the Games would be shifted to Canada or Australia. The failure to complete the infrastructure would have been a national shame as well.
Among all claimants to the post of Chief of Delhi Metro who were interviewed, only E Sreedharan had all the answers from funding to execution. But age was a major factor for 66 years old Mr Sreedharan as he was already retired. However, the Prime Minister was mighty impressed with his successful record of executing the Konkan Railway project. So, he used his privilege and asked Mr Sreedharan to head the project.
An Engineer Gets Full Autonomy to Execute the Project
Mr Sreedharan put his condition of full authority for a project without any interference from anyone in any matter of Delhi Metro, be it the Chief Minister of Delhi, Railway Minister, local politicians, Bureaucrats or anyone else. Prime Minister agreed to that and assured him of direct help. Mr Sreedharan clarified that in case this assurance was broken, he would catch the first flight to his Kerala home.
In his turn, Prime Minister Vajpayee casually asked him what he could expect in return for giving him full control of the Delhi Metro project. Mr Sreedharan assured the PM that there would be no cost overrun in the project and it would be built at minimum cost, with global standards. He even assured the PM that he could convince the international financing bodies to provide long term, low-interest loans for this project, so that, Govt of India which was already bankrupt in view of Pokhran-II economic sanctions and Kargil war, would not need to put its own big money. A whole new culture was created and demonstrated, without the help of China, Europe or the USA’s involvement. Mr Sreedharan convinced the Japanese to fund 60% cost with a 20-year loan at low-interest rates.
In the history of liberated India, the first time an engineer was trusted and given full authority from Govt to work out all the project and financing from scratch and complete it successfully in given time and cost. Ironically, that engineer was a retired engineer of 66 years so he was fearless to put his conditions to execute work. And that happened because the head of the Govt was himself under an international obligation to get an operational metro train for Delhi within 10 years. The Prime Minister also had other headaches of completing stadiums, hotels, building roads and flyovers, removing diesel buses, smoke blowing factories from Delhi.
Defying the pocket filling knack and nepotist interest of some quarters, E Sreedharan created a transparent method in Delhi Metro Organization, much to the annoyance of many where every decision was taken in the interest of the organization. The first corridor was inaugurated within 3 years in December 2002 and people witnessed a world-class metro with global service standards at par with Japanese and European Metro trains or even better rolling in for the first time in their city.
Delhi Metro proved India’s engineering prowess as the project was built without any foreign turn-key solutions and that led to the manufacturing of more metro trains in the country as India had developed its indigenous expertise. Delhi Metro stands testimony to how a Prime Minister level politician trusted an engineer to get a project delivered in time, overlooking criticism of many quarters.
Ironically, despite his illustrious life credited with laying the foundation of India’s Metro saga, the Padma Vibhusan awardee and the doyen of Indian engineering was not considered to head the Kochi Metro project by the state government. This decision raised opposition from many quarters and the government, at last, appointed him as the principal advisor for the project.