Recently Metro man’ E Sreedharan confirmed that he was going to join Bharatiya Janata Party soon and he may contest in the upcoming assembly election in Kerala if the BJP leaders insists. His entry in the politics will definitely create major impact in Kerala politics in future and I am sure that majorities of the Keralaits wholeheartedly welcome his decision.

E. Sreedharan was born on 12 June 1932 in Palakkad district, Kerala and his wife name is Radha Sreedharan. He studied his secondary education from Palakkad’s Basel Evangelical Mission Higher Secondary School and he completed his college studies from the Victoria College in Palghat. He successfully completed his Civil Engineering from Government Engineering College Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh.

After completing his civil engineering studies, he was working at Government Polytechnic in Kozhikode as a Lecture and he was teaching civil engineering subjects for the Polytechnic students.

In 1953 E. Sreedharan passed the Indian Engineering Service (IES) examination and in December 1954 he was appointed as the Probationary Assistant Engineer in South Railway.

He is widely credited for changing the face of public transport system. he served as the managing director of Delhi Metro between 1995 and 2012

Details of the Awards E.Sreedharan received:-

• In 2001 E. Sreedharan was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
• In 2003 E. Sreedharan was named one of Asia’s Heroes by TIME magazine.
• In 2008 E. Sreedharan was awarded the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India.
• In 2005 E. Sreedharan was awarded the Chevalierde la Legion d’honneur by the French Government.
• E. Sreedhran was also appointed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to serve on the United Nation’s High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (HLAG-ST) for a period of three years.
• He was also an advisor of various metro projects constructed in different part of India.

E. Sreedharan was the main instrumental in completing prestigious Konkan Railway project with great difficulty. To install the Konkan Railway Line along the Konkan areas, they had to construct lot of tunnels and bridges in which many of them were built on the soft soil. Nobody thought that E. Sreedharan and his team was able to complete this project in an efficient and timely manner. But he has completed this project in time with lesser cost than the estimated budget.

Pamban Bridge Project:-
On 25th December 1964, due to a devastated cyclone, Pamban Bridge was washed away and nearly 3000 people were stranded. Reconstruction of the Pamban Bridge was given highly importance as it was a lifeline that connected Rameswaram to the mainland. Engineer E. Sreedharan tasked on the project and given 6 months time to complete this project. But the determined E. Sreedharan and his team has completed this challenging cantilever bridge project within 45 days rather than taking 6 months time.

E. Sreedharan retired from the service on 29th December, 2011 after completing the metro rail system in Calcutta, Delhi and Bangalore in a successful manner.

Delhi Metro Project:-
Under E Sreedharan’s able and efficient leadership, DMRC has completed 200Kms. Delhi Metro Phase 1 and Phase 2 Project. With his hard word and proficiency he has overcome the entire bureaucratic hurdles and completed this prestigious project within the budget allocated and within the stipulated period.

Entire Indians in India and abroad appreciated his professional commitment, dexterity and unflinching hard-work.

Under E. Sreedharan’s leadership skills, DMRC has proved that the government entity also able to deliver bigger projects in an efficient and timely manner. Throughout the construction period, contractors, sub-contractor and their employees has given outstanding support to E. Sreedharan and team.

E. Sreedharan is the pioneer of a modern metro project being delivered in time to the people of India. He played a key role in bringing this revolution in the country.. That is the reason, he is being called the Metro Man of India.

Kochi Metro Projects:-
Kochi Metro is India’s eighth metro service and E. Sreedharan was the Principal Adviser of Kochi Metro Rail Project. Under his able and efficient leadership skills he has completed 26-km-long Kochi metro rail project from Aluwya to Petta in a quality, timely and efficient manner.

The first phase comprises a 13 km stretch between Aluva and Palarivattom. It is claimed to be the country’s first integrated multi-model transport system which has immensely improve regional connectivity and ease the traffic congestion in Kochi.

Kochi Metro is a world-class metro system that is now enhancing the quality of life for the Greater Kochi metro area by improving regional connectivity and reducing overcrowding, traffic congestion, transit time, air and noise pollution.

Conclusion:-

E. Sreedharan is highly efficient, good technocrat, non-corrupt and he never get influenced by any political, money and bureaucratic power. He was always concerning about the quality, efficiency of the projects and the timely completion of his projects. India needs such kind of people who can develop the country in a rapid manner.