Latest news with #K-RIDE
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
K-RIDE to get full-time technocrat MD to steer Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project
The Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE), which is implementing the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, invited applications for the post of managing director on deputation on Monday. With this, K-RIDE, a joint venture of the state and Central governments, is set to appoint a full-time technocrat to the agency, which has, until now, had managing directors from the IAS cadre holding multiple charges in the government. According to the vacancy notice issued by K-RIDE, the candidate must be 55 years old or younger as of March 31, 2025. The job description states that the candidate should have a minimum of 25 years of Group A service, of which at least five years must be in a senior administrative grade. The candidate should also have at least fiveyears of experience in planning, design, and execution of railway-related infrastructure projects. The candidate is also expected to have experience in project report preparation, sanction, resource mobilisation and coordination with other ministers/stakeholders. The tenure is for three years with possible extension as per rules. Candidates are given one month to submit their applications. K-RIDE has not had a full-time managing director since Amit Garg's transfer in August 2022. Since then, only in-charge MDs have been appointed, including Gaurav Gupta (August 2022) and Dr N Manjula (November 2023). Manjula, who is now the incumbent MD, also holds an additional charge of secretary to the Infrastructure Development, Ports and Inland Water Transport Departments. In June 2024, Minister of State for Railways V Somanna announced that a technically qualified full-time MDwould be appointed within 15 days; however, no action was taken. Last week, the Karnataka government appointed Dr Vasanthi Amar as special deputy commissioner for K-RIDE. BJP parliamentarians, including Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya and Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan, trained their guns on the Congress government for 'failing' to comply with the advertising requirements of the Railway Board to appoint a full-time MD and for allegedly hampering the progress of this key infrastructure project aimed at decongesting Bengaluru. According to government officials, the need for a technocrat as a full-time managing director arises due to the project's construction in close proximity to active railway lines. 'Constructing suburban railway lines alongside active railway lines with trains running at high speed is a complex task. Therefore, K-RIDE needs to be headed by an individual who can take on such technically challenging roles to fast-track the project,' said a government official. The applications will be received by the internal HR division of K-RIDE, which will screen the candidates and shortlist them in line with the job specifications. Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview by a board comprising representatives from the state and Central governments before the final candidate is selected. The BSRP spans 149.348 km across four corridors: Sampige (KSR Bengaluru to Devanahalli, 41.4 km), Mallige (Benniganahalli to Chikkabanavara, 25.01 km), Parijaata (Kengeri to Whitefield, 35.52 km), and Kanaka (Heelalige to Rajanukunte, 46.24 km). Of all corridors, only Corridor 2 has seen some progress, albeit at a slow pace, with less than 30 per cent of the work completed. Civil work tender was awarded to Larsen & Toubro on August 26, 2022, for Rs 859.97 crore. However, L&T has reportedly hinted at withdrawing from the project due to land acquisition hurdles. L&T has cited the non-availability of land as a primary reason for halting work. Approximately 28.56 acres of private land and 91 acres of railway land are required for Corridor 2, but delays in land handover by South Western Railway and K-RIDE have stalled progress. Private landowners have obtained court stay orders, and some are demanding higher compensation, further complicating the acquisition process. The 7.4-km section between Chikkabanavara and Yeshwantpur as part of Corridor 2 was targeted for completion by end of 2025, with the full corridor expected to be operational by December 2026. However, given the current pace of work, K-RIDE is uncertain about meeting its deadlines. As for the rolling stock, the initial public-private partnership (PPP) model for procuring 306 rail coaches failed due to a lack of bids. A new equity model with 50:50 funding (Rs 2,135 crore from Karnataka, awaiting Railway Ministry approval) has been approved by the Karnataka Cabinet in November 2024. Tenders are ready but await the Central government order and Railway Board approval.
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru Suburban Rail project lacks full-time MD for 2 years: PC Mohan flags leadership gap
BJP MP PC Mohan has raised serious concerns over the prolonged absence of a full-time Managing Director at K-RIDE, the agency executing the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project. Taking to social media platform X, the Bengaluru Central MP criticised the state government for appointing a junior officer to oversee the project. 'K-RIDE, executing the Bengaluru Suburban Rail project, has had no full-time MD for 2 years. Instead, a 2017-batch officer who has been awaiting posting for years has been made Special Deputy Commissioner. How can such a critical project run on part-time, inexperienced leadership?' Mohan posted. (Also Read: 'Nehru gave us HAL, it's our pride': DK Shivakumar counters Andhra's bid to shift defence projects from Bengaluru) His comments come amid growing frustration over delays in the implementation of the ₹15,767 crore suburban rail project, jointly funded by the Centre and the Karnataka government. Mohan's remarks follow a recent statement in Parliament by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who also underscored the need for a full-time MD 'conversant with railway technology.' (Also Read: Bengaluru Airport ramps up traffic surveillance with new CCTV network across junctions) While the Indian Railways has already handed over its share of land for the project, the minister pointed out that land transfer from the state government has been moving 'very slowly.' With public transport and urban mobility emerging as key political issues in Bengaluru, Mohan's remarks highlight the urgency for coordinated leadership and faster decision-making to prevent further delays in one of the city's most critical infrastructure projects. (Also Read: Bengaluru's tech workforce crosses 1 million, ranks among top 12 global hubs)
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Slow-moving Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project finally gets a special deputy commissioner
Nearly three years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised in a speech that the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) would be completed in 40 months, the Karnataka government on Monday appointed Dr Vasanthi Amar as special deputy commissioner for K-RIDE, the implementing agency of the long-pending project. The development comes amid calls for a full-time managing director to steer the slow-moving project on a war footing. Currently, K-RIDE, a special purpose vehicle, is headed by managing director (MD) Dr Manjula N, who also holds an additional charge of secretary to government, infrastructure development, ports and inland water transport department. Rail enthusiasts and BJP MPs have been demanding a full-time MD, who is also a technocrat, to undertake the 149 km BSRP network. 'I've consistently sought for the appointment of a full-time MD for @KridePrm to ensure effective management and timely completion of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail project. My 15-Point Action Plan to DCM @DKShivakumar last week also emphasises this, along with multiple interventions in the past,' Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya said in a post on X on Monday. I've consistently sought for the appointment of a full-time MD for @KridePrm to ensure effective management and timely completion of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail project. My 15-Point Action Plan to DCM @DKShivakumar last week also emphasises this, along with multiple… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) May 26, 2025 'With a Special Deputy Commissioner now appointed, I hope serious progress and focused action begin on this long-pending, crucial step for Bengaluru's urban mobility. But we still press our demand for a full time technocrat MD for the SPV,' he added. Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan also expressed displeasure over the lack of a full-time MD for the last two years for the Rs 18,600 crore project. 'K-RIDE, executing the Bengaluru Suburban Rail project, has had no full-time MD for 2 years. Instead, a 2017-batch officer who has been awaiting posting for years has been made Special Deputy Commissioner. How can such a critical project run on part-time, inexperienced leadership?' the parliamentarian questioned in a post on X on Monday. He also asked, 'My questions to the State Govt: Was this an existing post at K-RIDE, or was it specially created to accommodate a junior officer awaiting posting? Is this the seriousness with which a ₹15,767 Cr project is handled? A full-time MD must be appointed without further delay.' The BSRP spans 149.348 km across four corridors: Sampige (KSR Bengaluru to Devanahalli, 41.4 km), Mallige (Benniganahalli to Chikkabanavara, 25.01 km), Parijaata (Kengeri to Whitefield, 35.52 km), and Kanaka (Heelalige to Rajanukunte, 46.24 km). Of all the corridors, only Corridor 2 has seen some progression, yet at a slow pace, with less than 30 per cent of the works completed. The civil work tender was awarded to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on August 26, 2022, for Rs 859.97 crore. However, L&T has reportedly hinted at pulling out of the project due to land acquisition hurdles. L&T has cited the non-availability of land as a primary reason for halting work. Approximately 28.56 acres of private land and 91 acres of railway land are required for Corridor 2, but delays in land handover by South Western Railway and K-RIDE have stalled progress. Private landowners have obtained court stay orders, and some demand higher compensation, further complicating acquisition. The 7.4 km section between Chikkabanavara and Yeshwantpur as part of Corridor 2 was targeted for completion by 2025 end, with the full corridor expected to be operational by December 2026. However, with the current pace of work, K-RIDE is doubtful of meeting its deadlines. As for the rolling stock, the initial public-private partnership (PPP) model for procuring 306 rail coaches failed due to a lack of bids. A new equity model with 50:50 funding (Rs 2,135 crore from Karnataka, awaiting Union railway ministry approval) has been okayed by the Karnataka Cabinet in November 2024. Tenders are ready but await the central government order and Railway Board approval.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Assigning BMRCL responsibility to BBMP chief amid metro expansion draws flak
A growing chorus of citizens and transport activists has voiced concern over the State government's decision to assign M. Maheshwar Rao, the Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the additional responsibility of Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The activists say this move could hamper the city's critical infrastructure development. Mr. Rao, a 1993-batch IAS officer, was appointed BBMP Chief Commissioner in April, even as he continued as the head of BMRCL. This assigning of dual responsibility has drawn criticism from those who argue that both roles demand full-time attention, especially with the Yellow Line Metro set to open soon and the city's civic body undergoing major structural reforms. 'BBMP is not a lightweight body. It deals with hundreds of issues daily. On the other hand, BMRCL is a technically complex and high-stakes agency involving both the State and Central governments,' said K. N. Krishna Prasad, a railway and urban mobility activist. 'Expecting one officer to juggle both is unfair and impractical. It's like putting one foot in two boats. Coordination suffers, accountability slips, and public interest is sidelined,' he added. The timing of assigning Mr. Rao the dual roles has further intensified the public criticism. Bengaluru is currently undergoing a governance overhaul under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024, which proposes splitting BBMP into multiple smaller corporations to improve administrative efficiency. Simultaneously, BMRCL is grappling with setbacks on its Yellow Line due to delays in coach procurement and other bottlenecks. 'There's simply too much at stake in both roles for one person to manage. The metro is a lifeline for us, and BBMP directly affects the quality of our daily lives. We need full-time officials with a singular focus and accountability. Otherwise, the city will pay the price'K. N. Krishna PrasadRailway and urban mobility activist 'There's simply too much at stake in both roles for one person to manage. The metro is a lifeline for us, and BBMP directly affects the quality of our daily lives. We need full-time officials with a singular focus and accountability. Otherwise, the city will pay the price,' Mr. Prasad said. Activists also pointed to a troubling precedent. Anjum Parvez, a former BMRCL MD, previously held an additional portfolio in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department. 'It feels like the government is playing musical chairs with key posts. There's no clarity, no continuity. Citizens are left to bear the brunt of delays and inefficiencies. Bengaluru deserves better,' said Shashank Rao, a tech professional from HSR Layout. K-RIDE too needs full-time MD At the same time, there has been a call for the appointment of a full-time Managing Director (MD) for Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE), the joint venture of the Centre and the State that is executing the Bengaluru suburban rail project. Currently, a part-time MD appointed by the State government is supervising the project. Since July 25, 2022, K-RIDE has been without a full-time MD. N. Manjula, who serves as the Secretary to the Karnataka Infrastructure Development, Ports, and Inland Water Transport Department, also holds additional charge of K-RIDE along with the Kannada and Culture Department. In March, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the necessity of appointing a full-time MD at K-RIDE. To a question raised by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya in the Lok Sabha on March 19, Mr. Vaishnaw replied, 'Currently, a part-time MD appointed by the Karnataka government is supervising the project. There is a requirement to appoint a full-time MD who is familiar with railway technology.' It may be noted that K-RIDE, in which the State government holds a 51% stake, is implementing the ₹15,767 crore Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).
