KOCHI: E Sreedharan, the ‘Metro Man’, has asked the engineering community to wake up and utilise their powers to the full extent rather than requesting politicians for favours.
“We find politicians occupying most of the top positions. In most departments, decision-making is controlled by IAS officers. When I see engineers with 25-30 years of experience taking orders and instructions from IAS officers with 10-12 years of experience, I feel miserable,” Sreedharan said while delivering the keynote address after presenting the ‘Engineers’ Choice Awards’ for super quality building engineers for the year 2017 at Kerala Engineers Club here the other day.
“The chief engineer lacks the power to transfer even an executive engineer. This forces engineers at lower levels to ask politicians for favours. We, the engineers, have full authority to take all decisions. This is why the organisations are performing well. It is high time the engineering community wakes up,” Sreedharan said.In states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, the secretary of Public Works Department is an engineer, not an IAS officer, he said. “Engineers should reach positions where they can make decisions about their own activities. I belong to the railways and I created organisations like Metro companies,” he said.
“Despite there being a large number of engineers, we do not find engineers on any national position nowadays,” said Sreedharan who also said engineers should have an Engineer’s Bill passed by the Parliament. At the event, Sreedharan presented the Engineers’ Choice Awards to Cherian Varkey and Company (Best Contractor), SFS homes (Best Builder) and CERA Sanitaryware (Best Product).