Sreedharan quits from Delhi Metro

New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) In a dramatic announcement that
came on his birthday, Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan Sunday
said he was quitting from the post owning moral responsibility
for an accident at its construction site which claimed five
lives.

Sreedharan, who turned 77 Sunday, announced his decision
at a crowded press conference here this afternoon, soon after
his visit to the site of the collapse of an under-construction
bridge of Delhi Metro in Jamrudpur of south Delhi's Lajpat
Nagar.

"As the head of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, I take
moral responsibility for the incident...So I have decided to
resign and I have put in papers and I have sent it to Lt
Governor Tejinder Khanna and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit," he said.

Asked whether his decision will delay the Metro projects
which are scheduled to be completed before the Commonwealth
Games, he said, "The views you are making may be correct but
my personal conviction in this matter cannot be compromised."

Delhi Government said it was not for taking any hasty
decision on the resignation of Sreedharan.

"We are not to take any hasty decision on the resignation
of Sreedharan," said P K Tripathi, Principal Secretary to
Chief Minister.

A spokesperson at the Lt Governor's office said a decision
on the matter will be taken at political levels.

The Civil Engineer from Kerala's Palakkad district is known
for completing projects ahead of schedule.

Sreedharan started his career as a lecturer in Civil
Engineering at the Kerala Polytechnic in Kozhikode before
moving to Bombay Port Trust as an apprentice and later joined
the Indian Railways in its Service of Engineers department.

His first major challenge came in 1963, when a tidal wave
washed away portions of the Pamban bridge connecting
Rameshwaram to mainland Tamil Nadu. He was given six months
to complete the task but he got it restored in 46 days.

He also served as the deputy chief engineer, in-charge
of the implementation, planning and design of Calcutta Metro
in 1970, besides serving as the Chairman and Managing Director
of the Cochin Shipyard.

Sreedharan retired from the Railways in 1990 but the
government sought his services and appointed him as the CMD of
Konkan Railway on contract in 1990.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 and was named as
one of Asia's Heroes by TIME in 2003.

Besides, he was awarded the Chevalier de la Legion
d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by France in 2005.
PTI SJY
JVN
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