As the much talked about “Metro Man”, the Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation E. Sreedharan, prepares to hang up his boots at the end of this week, he says he is reasonably satisfied with his experience of giving Delhi a world-class public transport system, and over how the Delhi Metro rail network has become the model inspiring similar systems in all parts of the country.
“On the whole, not only have we been able to give a good transportation system, we are doing so at a very low price to the Government. We have been able to keep down congestion on roads and also low pollution levels. Delhi Metro is the only metro in the world earning carbon credits. I have good reason to be proud of the system I have created,” says Dr. Sreedharan.
With the success of the Metro in the Capital, most other States in the country took to the idea of having such a system in place. Bangalore's Namma Metro opened for commuters this October: “Their model is practically the same as the Delhi model, so it will succeed; I have no doubt about it. They are a little behind schedule, and their cost is going up a little bit, but…ultimately…it will be a great asset to the city,” he says.
Several other cities including Kolkata, Jaipur, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi are working on building their own rapid transit system. Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath recently announced that a metro system will come up in all cities with population of over 20 lakh. Will metro models in other States be as successful?
The key, says Dr. Sreedharan, lies in having the right kind of organisation: “You require a dedicated, committed team. If the man in charge is only on deputation for a small period, what dedication will he have? There should be someone full-time, completely cut off from State Government politics.”
“[Building a] metro requires very dynamic situations,” he says, “because each day is so expensive. Each day in a metro is in terms of crores. A delay of one day leads to a loss of one to one and a half crore.”
Speaking about the Chennai Metro rail project, for which DMRC was initially the interim consultant and later took over the role of prime consultants, Dr. Sreedharan says that while Phase I of the project took off well, the proposed Phase II has come to a standstill after the change of government earlier this year: “Things picked up well [in Phase I], contracts have been awarded, there are problems here and there, but by and large, the Chennai project has been doing well. We [DMRC] told them [Chennai] immediately, once you start planning Phase I, you have to start planning for Phase II also.”
Last year, the DMRC submitted a detailed project report to Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) for a 9-km extension of Line 1 between Washerman Pet and Wimco Nagar, but the proposal has not been processed yet. In a letter written to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu earlier this month, a copy of which he shared with The Hindu , Dr. Sreedharan noted: “Chennai has a population of 8.30 million as of 2008…For this level of population a large metro network is inevitable as the public transport system in the city. Unfortunately, after the new government has come into power there has been a violent shift in policy and it is understood that the State Government is now planning monorail systems to cover the entire city. Being closely associated with urban transport planning for 14 years I have to caution the Government that monorail is not an ideal choice for urban transport. At best it can only function as a feeder system.”
Speaking further, he added: “Now Mumbai has started with monorail, they are finding it so difficult. Chennai also will have the same difficulties. They should take advice from transportation planners.” He also says it is the right time for Tamil Nadu to start planning for metro systems in “big cities” like Coimbatore and Madurai.
While Union Minister Kamal Nath is encouraging the coming up of metro systems, he has also been stressing the importance of looking at “innovative method of funding” and promoting the involvement of private players. Dr. Sreedharan has a different view: “I go by simple common sense and logic. A metro is a social service. We have to provide metro at lowest fare to largest number of people. Unless a business is financially viable, no private party will get involved…[A private party] wants a return of 16-18 per cent, while in a metro the IRR [internal rate of return] is only 2 per cent and 3 per cent…Sometimes they will succeed, sometimes it will not succeed. In Hyderabad, a lot of land has been promised to them. In Mumbai, no land has been promised. I don't know how they will make two ends meet.”
Even in a public-private partnership model, he says, the PPP operator “is not going to pay from his pocket. He will have to make money from the public”.
On the whole, though, Dr. Sreedharan is optimistic about the future of metro systems in India: “I am very optimistic that the metro will reach all cities of India, but it has to be the Delhi Metro model if it has to spread fast. If left to the State governments, things will not take off.”
The DMRC is looking forward to the beginning of Phase III construction within the coming month. “The Delhi Metro has excellent future” according to the Metro Man. “We have already started the DPR for Phase IV, we have identified the corridors and [will soon] send it to the Delhi Government for approval. As soon as it is cleared, we will begin the survey.” But a truly public transport system, he adds, will depend on integration of the Delhi Metro with a good bus service and feeder bus system.
As he retires as the DMRC Chief this December 31, the architect of the Delhi Metro network says he wants to lead a quiet life post-retirement: “After 58 years of professional life, I think I have to hang my boots. I have decided to go back to my ancestral village property and lead a quiet life away from all professional activity,” he concludes.
“On the whole, not only have we been able to give a good transportation system, we are doing so at a very low price to the Government. We have been able to keep down congestion on roads and also low pollution levels. Delhi Metro is the only metro in the world earning carbon credits. I have good reason to be proud of the system I have created,” says Dr. Sreedharan.
With the success of the Metro in the Capital, most other States in the country took to the idea of having such a system in place. Bangalore's Namma Metro opened for commuters this October: “Their model is practically the same as the Delhi model, so it will succeed; I have no doubt about it. They are a little behind schedule, and their cost is going up a little bit, but…ultimately…it will be a great asset to the city,” he says.
Several other cities including Kolkata, Jaipur, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi are working on building their own rapid transit system. Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath recently announced that a metro system will come up in all cities with population of over 20 lakh. Will metro models in other States be as successful?
The key, says Dr. Sreedharan, lies in having the right kind of organisation: “You require a dedicated, committed team. If the man in charge is only on deputation for a small period, what dedication will he have? There should be someone full-time, completely cut off from State Government politics.”
“[Building a] metro requires very dynamic situations,” he says, “because each day is so expensive. Each day in a metro is in terms of crores. A delay of one day leads to a loss of one to one and a half crore.”
Speaking about the Chennai Metro rail project, for which DMRC was initially the interim consultant and later took over the role of prime consultants, Dr. Sreedharan says that while Phase I of the project took off well, the proposed Phase II has come to a standstill after the change of government earlier this year: “Things picked up well [in Phase I], contracts have been awarded, there are problems here and there, but by and large, the Chennai project has been doing well. We [DMRC] told them [Chennai] immediately, once you start planning Phase I, you have to start planning for Phase II also.”
Last year, the DMRC submitted a detailed project report to Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) for a 9-km extension of Line 1 between Washerman Pet and Wimco Nagar, but the proposal has not been processed yet. In a letter written to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu earlier this month, a copy of which he shared with The Hindu , Dr. Sreedharan noted: “Chennai has a population of 8.30 million as of 2008…For this level of population a large metro network is inevitable as the public transport system in the city. Unfortunately, after the new government has come into power there has been a violent shift in policy and it is understood that the State Government is now planning monorail systems to cover the entire city. Being closely associated with urban transport planning for 14 years I have to caution the Government that monorail is not an ideal choice for urban transport. At best it can only function as a feeder system.”
Speaking further, he added: “Now Mumbai has started with monorail, they are finding it so difficult. Chennai also will have the same difficulties. They should take advice from transportation planners.” He also says it is the right time for Tamil Nadu to start planning for metro systems in “big cities” like Coimbatore and Madurai.
While Union Minister Kamal Nath is encouraging the coming up of metro systems, he has also been stressing the importance of looking at “innovative method of funding” and promoting the involvement of private players. Dr. Sreedharan has a different view: “I go by simple common sense and logic. A metro is a social service. We have to provide metro at lowest fare to largest number of people. Unless a business is financially viable, no private party will get involved…[A private party] wants a return of 16-18 per cent, while in a metro the IRR [internal rate of return] is only 2 per cent and 3 per cent…Sometimes they will succeed, sometimes it will not succeed. In Hyderabad, a lot of land has been promised to them. In Mumbai, no land has been promised. I don't know how they will make two ends meet.”
Even in a public-private partnership model, he says, the PPP operator “is not going to pay from his pocket. He will have to make money from the public”.
On the whole, though, Dr. Sreedharan is optimistic about the future of metro systems in India: “I am very optimistic that the metro will reach all cities of India, but it has to be the Delhi Metro model if it has to spread fast. If left to the State governments, things will not take off.”
The DMRC is looking forward to the beginning of Phase III construction within the coming month. “The Delhi Metro has excellent future” according to the Metro Man. “We have already started the DPR for Phase IV, we have identified the corridors and [will soon] send it to the Delhi Government for approval. As soon as it is cleared, we will begin the survey.” But a truly public transport system, he adds, will depend on integration of the Delhi Metro with a good bus service and feeder bus system.
As he retires as the DMRC Chief this December 31, the architect of the Delhi Metro network says he wants to lead a quiet life post-retirement: “After 58 years of professional life, I think I have to hang my boots. I have decided to go back to my ancestral village property and lead a quiet life away from all professional activity,” he concludes.
