Dr. E. Sreedharan Lauds MMRC on Metro Line III Progress

by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai : Dr. E. Sreedharan, popularly known as the ‘Metro-man of India’, commended Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) on the progress of the Mumbai’s first underground Metro, the Metro Line III. Dr. Sreedharan addressed officials of MMRC and the General Consultants (GC) on his visit here. Prior to the address, Dr. Sreedharan inspected the construction work of the Metro Line III project at Marol Naka and Pali Naka.

“This is the most difficult, most challenging and technically the most complex Metro project that the country has undertaken. One should consider lucky to be associated with this Metro project,” Dr. Sreedharan said. “I must congratulate the Directors of MMRC and GC members for the tremendous progress made in the project.”

Dr. Sreedharan, who has changed the face of public transport in India with his leadership in building the Konkan Railway and Delhi Metro, is also the Principal Advisor for the Lucknow Metro, Kochi Metro and Jaipur Metro projects, mentioned that MMRC has overcome the challenges that are faced by an engineering project of the size of Metro Line III, such as land acquisition, finance, legal and environmental, amongst others.

He said that contracting of civil works was the most challenging task in any project and in specifically, with Metro Line III, the task to complete and contract the civil works at all the seven packages is most challenging. Dr. Sreedharan said that MMRC has overcome all these challenges as the civil contractors at the sites were well organised and committed to the project. “It is at the beginning of the project that problems are faced by any major engineering project and I must say, it is a great achievement that 95 percent of these problems have been surmounted,” Dr. Sreedharan said.

He urged MMRC officials to work towards the completion and commissioning of the underground rail within the stipulated time.

“MMRC has a job to finish. We mean business and we have to complete it. Image of the organisation means reputation in maintaining its integrity, transparency in making successful decisions, concern for the common man, and MMRC has the competence to handle such situations,” he said. “Mere commissioning of the project is not enough, we have to make it financially sustainable. Time is money and it is very important that the project progresses on time so that the revenue operation date (ROD) is on time.”

Dr. Sreedharan expressed confidence that MMRC would continue to display its earnestness on making decisions on time and these decisions would obtain success. He concluded that he was confident of MMRC working on the Metro Line III keeping in mind the safety and the convenience of the public.