However, 16 years after he became Managing Director DMRC in 1995 - E Sreedharan - is stepping down. He leaves behind a 190 km network across the National Capital Region, now considered the fastest growing Metro network anywhere in the world.
It currently ferries over 16 lakh passengers on weekdays through over 2,500 trips - all with employees who have a work ethic that everyone swears by.
Shreedharan always maintained a low profile. He was at work everyday at 8.45 am, 15 minutes before his staff. And the backward counting clock that he carries with himself from his Konkan railway days is the kind of stuff that legends are made of.
The Metro Man himself says, "This watch I got from the Konkan railway, it keeps everyone on their toes."
Just after his official retirement, Sreedharan took up the challenge to build the Konkan railway network.
The man had to battle lack of funds and political and environmental blockade. However, in an unprecedented initiative, Sreedharan raised public bonds to finance it and today, the Konkan Railway chugs merrily down the coastline.
The CNN-IBN Indian of the year for the year 2007, Sreedharan's strength comes from his simple lifestyle, yoga and the most important person in his life, his wife.
Today as he hands over the reign to his chosen successor Mangu Singh and heads back to his village, Delhi will always remain grateful to the man who redefined transport in Delhi and introduced its people to an efficient and speedy public transport system.
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