New Delhi: From 1995 to 2012, Sreedharan, a retired Indian Engineering Service (IES) served as the managing director of Delhi metro. Now the Narendra Modi government has chosen E Sreedharan to head the committee for the bullet train project and to lay down standards for metro rail systems in the country. Now the Sreedharan has banged the Prime Minister Modi’s ambitious bullet train project.
During an interview, the Sreedharan said Bullet trains will cater only to the elite community. It is highly expensive and beyond the reach of ordinary people. What India needs is a modern, clean, safe and fast rail system.
During an interview, the Sreedharan said Bullet trains will cater only to the elite community. It is highly expensive and beyond the reach of ordinary people. What India needs is a modern, clean, safe and fast rail system.
By August 2022 the bullet train is expected to be constructed. The Japan-backed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project costs $17 billion.
For the Modi’s pet ‘Make In India’ campaign this project is being called as a crucial project. Modi has aimed at lifting the share of manufacturing in India’s $2 trillion economies. Through this project, the government is also hoping to generate hundreds of jobs.
Sreedharan has also claimed that the railways have improved. A lot of things including engines, trains, and stations to food and bookings are getting a makeover under the Modi’s ambitious project to transform the railways.
As the next Lok Sabha elections are less than a year away, the Modi government is trying to complete all its promises and to changing the way Indians travel on trains.
Sreedharan is not impressed however he said I do not agree that the Indian Railways has made rapid progress. Apart from bio-toilets, there is no technical upgradation. Speed has not increased. In fact, the average speed of most prestigious trains has come down. Punctuality is worst – officially 70%, actually less than 50%. Accident record has not improved. Many also die on tracks, at level-crossings, in suburban sections. Almost 20,000 lives are lost on tracks yearly. I feel Indian Railways is 20 years behind those of advanced nations.
Sreedharan said on standardization of the metro service across the country, I have been pushing for standardization and indigenization of metro service for long. It is a welcome move. With standardization, efficiency will go up and reduce the cost considerably. We can manufacture coaches and other parts indigenously. I feel we can convert the metro into a ‘Make in India’ project. Delhi Metro has set a standard and triggered a metro revolution in the country. Results are there to see. Today there are 13 metros under construction. Within 20 years, Delhi Metro has reached a size of 260 km and is the fastest growing metro in the world. I also feel really proud of the work culture of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
