Representative image of a Bengaluru Metro with new BMRCL chief J Ravishankar in inset.
Credit: DH illustration
Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has a new managing director, with the state government appointing J Ravishankar, a 2001-batch IAS officer, to the top post on Friday.
He replaces M Maheshwar Rao, who was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in April this year and had been holding additional charge of the BMRCL.
Rao steered Namma Metro for a year and a half. During his tenure, the BMRCL opened the 3.14-km Green Line extension to Madavara. He was also instrumental in streamlining the supply of trains for the Yellow Line and taking measures to increase non-fare revenue.
He also oversaw the BMRCL's first fare hike in early eight years.
Ravishankar, who turns 55 on August 5, is a dental doctor by qualification. Before this appointment, he was serving as secretary in the agriculture department.
Ravishankar previously served as excise commissioner and as secretary in housing, planning, programme monitoring and statistics, and municipal administration departments. He was also deputy commissioner in Raichur, Mandya, Kolar and Belagavi districts.
At the BMRCL, Ravishankar will have his task cut out. Namma Metro plans to open the long-delayed Yellow Line in August. It also needs to expedite the consruction of the Pink and Blue lines, and call tenders for the Orange Line.