Sreedharan wants IITs to launch Metro engineering courses

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With Metro rail services coming up across the country, Delhi Metro sees the need for engineers specially qualified in this modern technology and has written to Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministry to launch such courses in elite IITs.

Delhi Metro managing director E. Sreedharan says the post-graduate courses in various disciplines relating to Metro technology should be started in IITs and that at least 50 engineers should pass out every year to meet the demands in the future.

"We have suggested (to the HRD Ministry) that IITs should start courses in Metro technology. It is not mere civil engineering, but we need (professionals) in signaling, electrical and air-conditioning engineering," he told PTI in an interview.

The 'Metro Man', who was instrumental in building 185-km of Metro network in the capital within a short span of fifteen years, said he wants the courses related to Metro engineering to be taught only in specialised institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology.

Sreedharan wrote a letter to the HRD Ministry earlier this year seeking launch of such courses. Asked about the government's response, he said: "They have neither said yes nor (they have) denied... that is how the government works."

"We have suggested a minimum of 50 seats in various disciplines and the specialisation may be in construction, signal engineering, rolling stocks. This is the proposal we have sent it to the HRD Ministry," he said.

While Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata already have Metro networks, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad will get the modern transport over the next few years.

Sreedharan said the IIT-Delhi has already launched a diploma course on Metro technology with full funding from the Delhi Metro.

The course, which was started three years ago, has 25 engineers in one batch who are imparted lessons by officials and engineers from the Delhi Metro before they get hands-on in the organisation.

"We started our own course with IIT-Delhi and we are funding the course entirely. Then they are given hands-on training in Metro technology and are assured with a job," the Metro chief said.

The Metro chief said the technology was new when the construction work of Delhi Metro started in late 1990s and the country did not have many experts in the field.

But, after years of experience in Delhi Metro and other projects, now the country has some of the best engineers in the field of underground Metro building.

"Now we have the resources. In the early days we were depending upon different consultants. We still get foreign contractors who have expertise. We have gained lot of experience now. Some of our engineers are among the best in the world in underground construction," he said.