District Collector given additional charge as MD of Kochi metro, with Loknath Behera’s term ending on August 30
Ernakulam District Collector G. Priyanka has been appointed as the interim Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited following the departure of Loknath Behera. The transition occurs as the agency prepares for major infrastructure extensions and navigates past administrative controversies.
Why it matters
Leadership changes in major public infrastructure projects significantly impact urban development timelines and administrative efficiency.
With the extended tenure of Loknath Behera as the managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) expiring on August 30, the State government on Saturday (August 29, 2026) issued a government order (GO) giving the additional charge of MD of the metro agency on a temporary basis to G. Priyanka, District Collector of Ernakulam.
She will thus hold the additional charge from August 31.
A 1985 batch Indian Police Service officer, Mr. Behera had been appointed as MD of KMRL in 2021, on his superannuation as State Police Chief. The GO said that Mr. Behera was appointed at the helm of the metro agency on re-employment basis for a three-year period, which was subsequently extended twice (by then State government).
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