Darshpreet Bhatti
| Darshpreet Bhatti | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989 |
| Occupation | engineer |
| Known for | Leadership positions at multiple transit agencies[1] |
Darshpreet Bhatti is a Canadian engineer who has specialized in managing transit projects, in Toronto, Ottawa, Oshawa, Kitchener, Mississauga and Calgary.[2][3]
Education
Bhatti graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Toronto.[2]
Career
Bhatti worked for transit authorities in Toronto, Ottawa and Oshawa, prior to joining Waterloo Region in 2008.[1][2]
On September 25, 2012, he was appointed to direct Waterloo Region's rapid transit efforts.[4] Earlier in 2012 he had been the acting director.
On September 7, 2015, Bhatti announced the commencement of the ION Bus Rapid Transit route from the current southern terminus of the Ion LRT at Fairview Park Mall to Cambridge, Ontario, Ainslie Street terminal.[5]
In 2016 Bhatti left Waterloo Region to take up a position with Metrolinx.[6] When his resignation was announced his boss, Thomas Schmidt, commissioner of Waterloo Region's transportation and environmental services, praised Bhatti's "technical excellence, patience and understanding."
In July 2021 Bhatti was appointed CEO of Calgary's Green Line, effective August 16, 2021.[3][7][8][9]
On January 25, 2022, Bhatti, and the chair of the Green Line board, Don Fairbairn, updated Calgary's executive committee about reasons the costs of the project were "volatile".[10] They warned the city that it was possible that only the first phase of the route could be completed, with the funds that had been allocated.
Personal life
In a 2015 profile of Bhatti, in the Toronto Star transportation columnist Tess Kalinowski noted the irony that Waterloo's rapid transit director commuted by car, explaining that his home in Brampton, Ontario was within walking distance of his wife's job as a school teacher.[2]
Following his 2016 resignation from Waterloo Region, to take a position with Metrolinx, near his home, the Kitchener-Waterloo Record reported he had spent years commuting four hours per day.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Darshpreet SINGH – The Man behind the Discovery of Rapid Transit Project at Waterloo, Canada!, Khalgidar Society, 2020-12-25. Retrieved on 2021-09-26. “Before joining Waterloo in 2008, he worked as a consultant on projects around the Toronto region including with the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp., the TTC on the St. Clair streetcar right-of-way and the first Ottawa LRT plan that was subsequently killed by that city.”
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Meet the Brampton commuter behind Waterloo’s LRT project, Toronto Star, 2015-12-10. Retrieved on 2015-12-11. “Each stop on the ION LRT will have a unique identifying piece of art or feature wall using different treatments and finishes that reflect the neighbourhood.”
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Scott Dippel. New CEO of Calgary's Green Line confident downtown tunnel can go ahead: After reviewing LRT project, Darshpreet Bhatti concludes challenges aren't insurmountable, CBC News, 2021-11-17. Retrieved on 2022-06-17. “Darshpreet Bhatti moved to Calgary from Ontario, where he worked on a couple of LRT projects. That included working for Metrolinx as vice-president of the Hurontario LRT line in Brampton/Mississauga, and before that, he worked on the LRT/bus rapid transit project in the Waterloo region.”
- ↑ Region says rapid transit project attractive to builders, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 2012-09-27. Retrieved on 2015-12-11. “Taking point on rapid transit is Darshpreet Bhatti, who was named director of rapid transit Sept. 25. Bhatti, 33, has been acting director since Nancy Button resigned in March to take a consultant position in Toronto.”
- ↑ Paul McPhee. "Phase one of BRT intiative launches in Cambridge", 570 News, 2015-09-07. Retrieved on 2021-09-26.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Paige Desmond. Region's LRT director leaving for Metrolinx, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 2016-12-07. Retrieved on 2021-09-26. “Darshpreet Bhatti works his final day with the Region of Waterloo on Dec. 21 and said leaving was a difficult but worthwhile decision.”
- ↑ Bhatti appointed CEO of Calgary Green Line LRT, Progressive Railroading, 2021-07-16. Retrieved on 2021-09-26. “Most recently, Bhatti served as vice president of the Hurontario LRT project for Metrolinx since 2017. Throughout his career, he has led city building projects including the region of Waterloo rapid transit and LRT project, Calgary officials said in a news release.”
- ↑ Mayoral candidates push Green Line transparency, Banff-YYC transit, Livewire Calgary, 2021-09-21. Retrieved on 2021-09-26.
- ↑ Green Line spending approaches $675 million, CBC News, 2021-09-25. Retrieved on 2021-09-26. “The city is still buying land in Calgary's downtown and Beltline areas, but it's possible it may take expropriation for some of the properties, Green Line CEO Darshpreet Bhatti said.”
- ↑ 1st stage of Green Line LRT likely to exceed $5.5B budget, board chair tells city, CBC News, 2022-01-25. Retrieved on 2022-04-01. “Green Line CEO Darshpreet Bhatti said the budget carries conservative estimations on cost escalation but warned the market is volatile — and that will put the project as planned at risk if that volatility continues.”