Can the govt find another Sreedharan?

Sreedharan’s resignation, if accepted, throws up another question. Can the government find a leader of his stature to lead DMRC? Ever since DMRC was incorporated in 1995, Sreedharan has fought political interference, bureaucratic delays and other troubles. He stood up to religious fanatics and razed illegal temples and mosques, shooed away urban development ministers and Delhi CMs, doggedly protecting
DMRC’s autonomy. The Delhi Metro network has won him accolades for being one of the finest mass rapid transit systems.

Sunday’s accident raises questions if DMRC, under pressure to complete the project, was speeding up phase II. The 65.11km-long first phase, with over 13km going underground, was completed three years ahead of schedule in 2005.  Phase II is 130km-long. Questions are being raised if DMRC was speeding up the project, at the cost of quality and safety, to meet the Commonwealth Games deadline. There is proposed phase III, completion of which would make it larger than the London underground

Urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy said a decision on Sreedharan’s resignation would be taken after discussion with chief minister Sheila Dikshit.  The immediate hope is to pray, for once, that Sreedharan gives in to political pressure.