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• Before taking up the work of Calcutta metro, the first metro rail in the country, the government send E Sreedharan to Japan to attend a seminar. After the seminar, Sreedharan spent four more days in Tokyo to study about the metro rail there. He had to borrow around 300 dollars from his nephew in the US to meet his expenses. His stay in Tokyo to gain a first-hand knowldege of the metro rail helped him in designing the civil structures for Calcutta metro.Talking about his experiences in executing major projects in the country at a seminar here, ‘metro man’ Sreedharan asked PWD engineers and officials of the state whether anyone visited Delhi to study the working of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

• “If I were you, I would have visited. Don’t wait for government to send you,’’ he said. Sreedharan was emphasising on the need to learn the job.Sreedharan recalled his experiences while addressing ‘Perspective’, a seminar on ‘Modernisation and Road Safety Initiatives in Public Works’ organised by PWD and Kesari Memorial Journalists Trust here on Thursday. The principal adviser of DMRC was speaking on ‘Implementation of major projects - the challenges involved.’

• “Passing out from an engineering college will not equip you. You have to learn. Read books or engage experts to learn,’’ he said.“During the first phase of DMRC, we had to depend on the services of international consultants because we did not have the expertise. By the second phase, we were able to acquire more knowledge and offer advice to other projects,” he said.For a state like Kerala which had witnessed public opposition to major projects, it is worth noting that not a single working day of Delhi Metro was lost due the public opposition. “Before taking up major works at a place, we convened the meeting of local people and representatives, and invited suggestions. We agreed to comply with their suggestions,’’ he said.

• Sreedharan and his team ensured that public did not face troubles due to the company’s work. ‘’The areas were well covered and barricaded. No dust was visible outside. Even the tyres of the vehicles were cleaned before going out of the site,’’ he said. After the commissioning the metro rail, a nearby resident had complained that vibrations of moving train were being felt in his house. Sreedharan personally visited the house and found that complaint was genuine and soon rectifited the problem. Sreedharan said that success of an engineer depended on how the contractor succeeds in his work. “The contractors should be seen as part of the project and the engineers must try to solve their problems,’’ he said.

• He emphasised that integrity was essential for an engineer. “Reputation must go ahead of you,’’ he told engineers.He also explained how a contractor tried to bribe him during his initial years of profession. “Had I succumbed to it, I would have ruined by career,’’ he said. Sreedharan personally verified the track record of employees before they were inducted into the DMRC. He also never hesitated to remove officials who were tainted.Sreedharan said that completion of project on time should be an act of social responsibility. “We are spending people’s money. We have moral responsibly towards the public. Don’t concentrate on salary alone. It is a service to society,’’ he said.For Sreedharan, Bhagavad Gita is not a religious text, but an administrative gospel. He said a touch of spirituality is needed. He would give a copy of Bhagavad Gita to every engineer. He said reading Gita would bring a difference in one’s attitude.

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