Sreedharan panel to lay down metro rail standards
25 Jun 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday approved the setting up of a committee headed by 'metro man' E Sreedharan to lay down standards for metro rail systems in the country.
Better known for his association with major metro and railway projects in the country, Elattuvalapil Sreedharan, a retired Indian Engineering Service (IES) officer, has served as the managing director of Delhi Metro from 1995 to 2012.
The prime minister made the announcement via video-conferencing after the inauguration of Delhi Metro's Green Line service between Mundka to Bahadurgarh. The 11.2-km-long corridor that links existing Delhi Metro Green Line from Inderlok with Mundka has seven stations.
The prime minister also called upon commuters to now get rid of their private vehicles and opt for metro rail services. "Our priority is to build convenient, comfortable and affordable urban transport systems in our cities," he said.
"The process of making Metro systems is also linked to cooperative federalism. Wherever Metros are being built in India, the centre and the respective state governments are working together," he added.
The prime minister also emphasised on 'Make in India’ by suggesting that metro coaches should be built indigenously. "We also want to boost `Make in India’ by making coaches of the Metro in India itself. Several nations helped us in the making of the Delhi Metro and other Metros, and now, we are helping other nations by designing coaches for their Metro systems," he said.