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Delhi Metro Project: Indian Project

Managers Show the Way

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DELHI METRO PROJECT: INDIAN PROJECT

MANAGERS SHOW THE WAY
Eighteen months from When E Sreedharan took over as the managing director of Delhi Metro
now, the venture’s Rail Corporation in November 1997, two doubts were raised about the
overground and subway rail venture: was it worth the effort? Equally important, would it
finish on time?
underground network
is expected to carry 2.1
After all, putting together a subway railway system in a crowded
million passengers per
metropolitan city isn’t easy. A large number of utilities like water pipes,
day across 59 stations. sewerage lines, telephone and electric cables need to be relocated to
A train will run every facilitate the construction work; people have to be relocated…. In fact,
three minutes during India’s first metro project in the eastern city of Kolkata took more than
peak hours, and the 25 years to complete. In the case of Delhi, as many as 35 studies have
service, when running been done on the transport problems of Delhi since 1950 – and a
at full capacity, will number have suggested the Metro Rail for a solution in Delhi.
carry 60,000 – 75,000
passengers per hour Circa 2004
each way. Twenty-two kilometers of the metro project are up and running. Not
only has the DMRC has stuck within the completion targets, some
stretches have finished six months ahead of time and the entire project is
expected to be completed by December 2005. To finish the project
faster, work is going on three fronts simultaneously: utility diversion,
barricading and actual civil construction.

Eighteen months from now, the venture’s overground and underground

network is expected to carry 2.1 million passengers per day across 59
stations. A train will run every three minutes during peak hours, and the
service, when running at full capacity, will carry 60,000 – 75,000
passengers per hour each way.

Already, the Delhi Metro project rivals similar services in London, Seoul
and New York.

o The station air-conditioning and ventilation system in tunnels

have been planned to meet the rigorous climatic conditions of
Delhi. The coaches are all air-conditioned.

o Ticketing is fully automatic. Contact-less smart cards serve the

purpose of tickets for metro passengers.

o All entrances of the metro stations are controlled through

automatic flap gates through which 45 to 60 passengers can exit

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DELHI METRO PROJECT: INDIAN PROJECT

MANAGERS SHOW THE WAY
But the real marvel and enter per minute. The entire fare collection system is
of the Delhi Metro monitored through a central commuter in the operational
project stems from control centre of the DMRC.
two counts. First is the
way in which a foreign But the real marvel of the Delhi Metro project stems from two counts.
dependent project has First is the way in which a foreign dependent project has been localised
and re-engineered. This was done by roping in Indian companies as
been localised and
consortium members at each stage of the project.
re-engineered.
Operation Contractors Indian Partners
Civil Works; Ventilation Kumagai Gumi Co, Shimizu IRCON International
& Air Conditioning Corporation Itochu Hindustan Construction
Corporation (Japan) Co Larsen & Turbo Ltd.
Samsung Corporation
(Korea) Skanska
International (Sweden)
Dyckerhoff & Windmann
(Germany)

Supply of coaches & Mitsubishi Corporation, Bharat Earth Movers

engine Japan- KOROS, Korea

Signaling & Alstom Transport, France Alstom Transport

communication Alcatel Portugal Sumitomo
Corporation, Japan

Traction & power Corba, Spain- ELIOP, Spain IRCON International

distribution technology

Supply, Installation, ABB Ltd Best &

Testing and Commission Crompton- Engineering
of power supply

Supply, Installation, MVM, Australia IRCON International

Testing and
Commissioning of
ballast less tract

Over the course of the seven-year venture, several capabilities have

been acquired by the Indian partners. In 2002 Indian engineering firm
Bharat Earth Movers Ltd signed a contract with South Korean firm
Rotem for manufacturing rust-proof and has fibre-reinforced interiors
steel coaches within India under a transfer of technology agreement. A

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DELHI METRO PROJECT: INDIAN PROJECT

MANAGERS SHOW THE WAY
year later, Bharat Earth Movers (BEML) released the first rake comprising
two engines and four trailer coaches. By 2005, BEML will supply 180
coaches.

Alongside the manufacturing practices, project management processes

have also been transferred seamlessly. When the metro project started,
a five-member consortium managed it. Four of them were global firms:
Pacific Consultants International, Railway Technical Services and Tonichi
Engineering Consultants from Japan, and Parson Brinkerhoff International
from the US. Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) was the
only Indian consultant.

Now, for the final stretch of the metro project, DMRC and RITES are
confident enough to navigate the venture from here alone, even though
the third stretch will pass through some of the most congested areas of
Delhi.

Better still, DMRC’s domain expertise acquired over the last seven years
is now being used to develop feasibility studies for other metro projects.
The studies include route alignment, utility mapping, and projected
demand for transport in the next five decades, soil testing, environmental
impact and system designing.
"We (DMRC and its
partners) have acquired For example, the West Bengal government asked DMRC to prepare a
the expertise for most detailed project report to connect the eastern city of Kolkata’s existing
of the work. We have metro rail with Howrah, an industrial hub on the other side of the river
always wanted to have Hooghly which runs through the city. DMRC will use construction and
technology similar to that used in English Channel albeit on a smaller
a more patriotic
scale.
approach in our work
and are proud that we
At another level, RITES, on behalf of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, is in
can do the job the process of completing a detailed project report for the southern
ourselves in such little cities of Bangalore and Hyderabad. Other metro projects in the pipeline
time," says DMRC include the western cities of Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, the northern city
managing director of Lucknow, and the southern cities of Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
E. Sreedharan said in
a recent interview. ‘‘We (DMRC and its partners) have acquired the expertise for most of
the work. We have always wanted to have a more patriotic approach in
our work and are proud that we can do the job ourselves in such little

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DELHI METRO PROJECT: INDIAN PROJECT

MANAGERS SHOW THE WAY
The cost of the Delhi time,’’ says DMRC managing director E. Sreedharan said in a recent
metro project at US interview.
$2.3 billion for 66 kms
of tracks is higher since An important reason why DMRC’s skills are being taken to other cities is
most of the technology the cost factor. At a presentation made to the Andhra Pradesh
government in 2003, Sridharan pointed out that the cost of a 39.45 km
has been sourced from
metro project in Hyderabad was estimated at US$ 712 million at April
abroad
2003 prices, which translated into a per km cost of US$ 18 million.

“The cost of the Delhi metro project at US $2.3 billion for 66 kms of
tracks is higher since most of the technology has been sourced from
abroad,” Mr Sridharan said during the presentation.

DMRC not only brings in experience and lower costs, it also shows the
rest of India and the world how to put together a world-class project
within a world-class timeframe.

Related Resources

1. E Sreedharan, Managing Director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation,

Phone: 91-11-24365202 / 4 Fax: 91-11-24365370

2. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has brought out a 256 page
book titled " A Dream Revisited" (An Archival Journey into the
making of the Delhi Metro Rail), which describes the History,
Growth, New Technologies, Routes and issues which faced the
Delhi Metro Project since its planning up to its implementation.
To get a copy of the book, contact:

The most positive Anuj Dayal

outcome of a strong
external management
strategy has been a
strong reserves
position. India’s foreign
exchange reserves are
in excess of US$108
billion.
Chief Public Relations Officer
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.
First Floor, N B C C Place, Bhishma Pitamah Marg
Pragati Vihar, New Delhi - 110003, INDIA.
Tel: +91-11-24365851 Email: anuj@delhimetrorail.com

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