Loknath Behera to step down as Kochi Metro MD

KOCHI: Loknath Behera will step down as managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) on August 31 at the end of his current tenure, with Ernakulam District Collector G. Priyanka set to take temporary charge until the Kerala government appoints a successor.

The development ends speculation over whether Behera, a former Kerala police chief, would receive another extension at the helm of the metro operator.

Priyanka will hold the additional responsibility of KMRL managing director as an interim arrangement while the government identifies a suitable candidate for the position.

Earlier reports had indicated that the government was considering new faces to lead KMRL as Kerala expands its urban transport infrastructure.

Retired IAS officers Biju Prabhakar and Jiji Thomson were among the names reported to be under consideration for the post.

Prabhakar, a 2004-batch Kerala cadre officer, retired in April 2025 after serving as chairman and managing director of the Kerala State Electricity Board and as the state’s transport secretary.

Thomson, a former Kerala chief secretary, retired from the civil service in 2016 and subsequently served as an adviser to the chief minister with cabinet rank during the previous UDF administration.

Behera took charge as KMRL managing director in August 2021 after retiring as Kerala’s Director General of Police.

His departure comes as KMRL oversees an expanding portfolio of urban mobility projects in Kochi, including the metro network and related transport infrastructure.

The government is expected to announce a permanent managing director after completing the selection process.