WHILE New Delhi saw first metro zooming in the national Capital within 4 years from start of work on the prestigious project in 1998, the mighty Howrah bridge in Kolkatta was constructed in a record span of six years that too way back in ‘40s.
 If Howrah was a speedy achievement, New Delhi’s metro was simply termed as “miracle” because the first phase of the project was completed three years ahead of the deadline. 
 As per Wikipedia, physical construction work on the Delhi Metro started on  October 1, 1998. After the previous problems experienced by the Calcutta Metro, which was badly delayed and 12 times over budget due to "political meddling, technical problems and bureaucratic delays", the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was given full powers to hire people, decide on tenders and control funds. The DMRC then consulted the Hong Kong MTR on rapid transit operation and construction techniques. As a result, construction proceeded smoothly, except for one major disagreement in 2000, where the Ministry of Railways forced the system to use broad gauge despite the DMRC's preference for standard gauge. The first line of the Delhi Metro was inaugurated by Atal Behari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister on December 24, 2002 and thus it became the second underground rapid transit system in India, after the Kolkata Metro. The first phase of the project was completed in 2006 on budget and almost three years ahead of schedule, an achievement described by Business Week as "nothing short of a miracle".
 The Delhi Metro is being built in phases. Phase I completed 65.11 km (40.46 mi) of route length, of which 13.01 km (8.08 mi) is underground and 52.10 km (32.37 mi) surface or elevated.
 The Howrah story, as per the Wikipedia, goes like this.  The New Howrah Bridge was built between 1937 and 1943 and had a single 450 m span. Built on the Hooghly River, its original purpose was to facilitate military transportation between Kolkata and the industrial town of Howrah during World War II. It remains a cantilever bridge connecting the city to its main railway station, the Howrah Station, one of the busiest railway stations of the world.
 Keeping such developments within country in mind, the Hyderpora flyover, which might be inaugurated in the coming weeks (though incomplete) stands distinct.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST