Govinda Reddy appointed MD of K-RIDE

Sources in K-RIDE told PTI that work on the BSRP has come to a standstill, with the contractor threatening to halt operations entirely unless land acquisition issues are resolved.

The Karnataka government has appointed IAS officer Govinda Reddy as the managing director of K-RIDE.

An official order issued on Monday stated that Reddy, a 2013-batch IAS officer currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Infrastructure Development, Ports and Inland Water Transport Department, will hold concurrent charge as K-RIDE MD. He replaces Manjula N.

The post of MD, Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited, has been declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of Director of Municipal Administration, the order said.

The appointment comes at a time when K-RIDE's flagship Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) has hit a roadblock. On July 31, contractor Larsen & Toubro terminated its contracts for Corridor-2 (Chikkabanavara to Benniganahalli) and Corridor-4 (Heelalige to Rajankunte), citing ''delays in land acquisition''.

Meanwhile, IAS officer Vasanthi Amar B V, serving as Special Deputy Commissioner in K-RIDE and overseeing land acquisition for the project, was raided by the Lokayukta on July 23. Sources in K-RIDE told PTI that work on the BSRP ''has come to a standstill'', with the contractor ''threatening to halt operations entirely unless land acquisition issues are resolved.''

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)