Underground Metro Construction, Development in India

Abstract

Development of Metro System in the country Started with Construction of Kolkata Metro in Mid 70s. Kolkata Metro 16.5 km long North–South Line was predominately underground with only two terminal Stations being at grade. The construction was carried out with limited local technical and engineering expertise as was available. The construction of the Metro System in Delhi is partly underground, and has been done very successfully and many more Cities of the Country like Bangalore, Chennai are constructing underground systems. I have been fortunate to have been involved in construction of Kolkata Metro, Delhi Metro and also in planning of Metro Systems in other cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Mumbai and Kolkata East–West Line. I can, therefore, claim that I have witnessed the entire development of construction of Underground Metro Systems in the country. The construction of Kolkata Metro was very remarkable in view of the fact that we had very little technical and engineering experience and skill to execute such projects and also access to International Technology was limited. However, the Project had many civil engineering Challenges, and the execution of civil engineering works was not free from deficiencies. Since I was fully involved in execution of civil works in most difficult part of Kolkata Metro, i.e., section between Esplanade and Shyam Bazaar, gained very valuable experience and was in a position to take care of these deficiencies in subsequent Planning of Delhi Metro and other Metro Systems in the Country.