Lakshman Singh assumes charge as K-RIDE MD, promises faster suburban rail push

K-RIDE enters a new phase as senior IRSE officer Lakshman Singh assumes full-time leadership, promising faster progress and renewed discipline for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project.

In a major development for one of Karnataka’s most crucial mobility projects, the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE) has finally received a full-time Managing Director after more than three years. Senior IRSE officer and veteran civil engineer Lakshman Singh formally assumed charge following deputation orders issued by the Railway Board.

The outgoing MD, Govinda Reddy, handed over responsibilities and extended his best wishes, marking a significant leadership transition for the agency steering the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).

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Upon taking charge, Lakshman Singh addressed engineers, officers and project teams, reaffirming a commitment to restore momentum in Bengaluru’s long-awaited suburban rail network. Drawing from decades of experience across Indian Railways, he outlined the urgency and transformative value of the project, emphasising that engineering progress must rise above challenges and delays.

He stressed a disciplined, coordinated and mission-focused approach, presenting the acronym TRACK-Target clearly, Respond quickly, Act decisively, Coordinate seamlessly, Keep commitments, as the guiding framework for organisational performance. With this, he called for a collective push to bring K-RIDE “back on TRACK” and accelerate delivery.

Singh brings more than 30 years of engineering and administrative leadership, having served as ADRM, DRM (Works), Chief Engineer (Construction), and in several strategic headquarters roles. His portfolio spans infrastructure development, contracts, legal affairs, encroachment management, human resources, budgeting, inventory oversight and multi-state coordination with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

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His track record includes execution of SWR’s longest 25T axle-load railway bridge, the 676-metre Bheema Rail Bridge between Bijapur and Solapur; development of South Western Railway’s first air-conditioned station building at SMVB; and the planning and construction of about 250 road underbridges and overbridges to eliminate level crossings across railway zones. His experience also extends to hydropower tunnel design, surge shafts and large power infrastructure works.

K-RIDE, as the executing agency of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project, has faced leadership gaps for over three years, an absence that had caused concerns around speed and consistency of execution. With the appointment of Lakshman Singh as full-time MD, expectations are high that the project will now gain stronger direction, faster decision-making and renewed accountability.