Ernakulam Collector Gets Additional Charge as Kochi Metro MD

The Kerala government has assigned the additional charge of Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to G. Priyanka, the District Collector of Ernakulam. The appointment, made through a government order issued on Saturday, takes effect from August 31, following the conclusion of Loknath Behera's extended term on August 30.

Behera, a 1985-batch Indian Police Service officer, was appointed to the KMRL post in 2021 after his superannuation as State Police Chief. His initial three-year re-employment was extended twice by the government.

During his leadership, the Kochi metro recorded an operational profit of ₹52.64 crore in 2025-26, with net losses narrowing to ₹352.49 crore from ₹430.50 crore the previous year. The Kochi Water Metro was also launched in 2023 under his tenure.

Behera's recent suggestion to rename KMRL as 'Keralam Metro Rail Limited' drew strong opposition from local representatives and residents. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan later clarified that no name change would occur.

The transition comes as KMRL prepares to commission its ₹1,957-crore Kakkanad extension within a year, after which focus is expected to shift to the airport extension phase. An anonymous senior official stressed the need for a technocrat or serving civil servant to handle land acquisition and coordinate with central agencies.

Arjun Prakash of Kochi First, a social media collective, criticised the delay in naming a successor and advocated for a visionary leader with a proven track record, citing V.J. Kurien's role in the Cochin International Airport. He also urged that the new MD be given charge of the Kochi Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has remained inactive due to resource constraints.