Karnataka govt. appoints concurrent MD FOR K-RIDE amid ongoing full time appointment process

Even as the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE) is in the process to appoint a full-time Managing Director (MD), the State government has placed IAS officer Govinda Reddy in concurrent charge of the post.

Mr. Reddy, a 2013-batch officer currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Infrastructure Development, Ports and Inland Water Transport Department, replaces N. Manjula, who previously held additional charge of K-RIDE.

K-RIDE is the agency implementing the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP), a joint venture between the Karnataka government and the Ministry of Railways. While the State holds a 51% stake, the Railways has often advocated for appointing a technocrat to the post, citing the engineering-heavy nature of the project.

In June, K-RIDE had issued a vacancy notice calling for applications from officers of Central Group ‘A’ services for a three-year deputation. According to sources familiar with the matter, the recruitment process for a full-time MD is still underway and soon the K-RIDE was about to appoint a MD.

When contacted for a response, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil was unavailable. However, a senior official in the State government clarified, “The selection process, as per the June vacancy notification, is ongoing. The appointment of Mr. Reddy will not hamper the process of appointing a full-time MD.”