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Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan, credited with changing the face of public transport in the Indian capital, is on the 'top 25 newsmakers of 2005' list compiled by the United States' Engineering News-Record, a leading publication on the construction industry.
The Metro Man, as he is popularly called, has been named in the list for the timely completion of New Delhi's 'challenging' 66-km metro system project in 2005.
"Sreedharan is credited with single-mindedly knocking down the many obstacles that bedeviled other large Indian projects. This manager cut through the country's notorious red tape, employed global best practices and adopted safety steps not common in Indian construction," the tech weekly from the Mc-Graw-Hill stable said.
"Much more than a figurehead, Sreedharan isn't finished yet. At age 73, he plans to remain on the job for three more years to oversee completion of the next phase, leading towards what will be ultimately be a 180-km transportation marvel for India," the listing said.
Sreedharan will be honoured in a New York gala in April with other innovators such as China's Michael Yu, who has shaped a template for road builders to construct China's National Truck Highway System; Charles E Williams, credited with upgrading security at US embassies around the world and presently COO of the State department's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, among others.
A Padma Shree awardee, Sreedharan, had taken over as the head of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in 1997. Prior to that he had been associated with development of Konkan Railway.
(Above) E Sreedharan. Photo: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images