We all know how important public transport is in a country like India. From school going children to working sector, millions of people travel in buses and trains. To regulate the increasing vehicular traffic in the twin cities, Telangana government has set up the construction of the metro train system. The project has been under construction for the past five years. It is said to be finished by mid-2018. One person, who needs a mention is the man behind this massive project and the one who changed the face of our country’s public transport - Mr. E. Sreedharan. Sreedharan, popularly known as India’s Metro Man, should be credited for the changes he brought in our public transport. He is currently the consultant for HMR project.He is also the chief of the advisory committee for both the Telugu states' metro constructions.
A civil engineer, Sreedharan was a lecturer in an engineering college until he appeared for the engineering services examination and the joined Indian Engineering Services. He first proved his excellence when he was appointed to reconstruct a bridge that has been damaged due to a cyclone. He successfully finished the work within 46 days to which he was allotted six months. Then he was recognized by the government and appointed to lead the planning and designing of the first metro in Kolkata.
The next several years he worked constantly on improving the public transport facilities in the country. He has become the lifeline of the metro projects after he successfully accomplished the construction of Delhi Metro. He then became an invaluable asset to Indian railways that he continued his service even after retiring. Several national and international honors have been showered upon him. His biography named ‘Karmayogi’ is also written stating his life and his growth.
The most distinct difference between other Indian bureaucrats and Sreedharan is that he gets the work done within the designated time and budget. He had spearheaded the challenging Konkan Railways project, delivering 760 km of rail corridors with 59 stations, 92 tunnels, and 2328 bridges. During the time when he served as the managing director of the metro project, he created a new style of working environment. He became a celebrity in his area of work after the huge success of Delhi metro. He is known for his unique solutions to the problems faced because of his huge technological intelligence. At one stage, he was even rumored to be the presidential candidate this year.
This man can be said to be one of the reasons behind the TS government taking up this huge project and also is the chief advisor for a proposed Metro rail system in Andhra Pradesh in the Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada (VGTM) areas. This 85-year-old veteran engineer is sure an inspiration to all of us. This man proves that no matter what if you work hard in the right path, success comes searching for you!
