Alkesh Kumar Sharma appointed as new Managing Director of Kochi Metro

Kochi (Urban Transport News): The Kerala Government has announced the appointment of DMICDC CEO Alkesh Kumar Sharma as new Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited vice Mohammad Hanish who was recently questioned by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with the Palarivattom flyover case. Sharma takes charge of new MD of Kochi Metro on Friday.

He will also function as the Chief Executive Officer of Smart City Kochi Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. and Principal Secretary for Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. Prior to joining as Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited, he was MD & CEO of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (DMICDCL). The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is being developed by the Central Government as a global manufacturing and investment destination supported by the world-class infrastructure and enabling policy framework.

Prior to joining DMICDC, he worked as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India where he looked after matters relating to land acquisition, forest, and environment clearances, review, and monitoring of National Highways and all matter related to toll and toll policy on the national highways. Sharma is 1990 batch IAS officer and worked for nearly 18 years in Kerala as the Managing Director of Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited, Malabar Cement Limited and Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation.

He also worked as Director of Tourism and as Secretary, Industries and Investment Promotion in Government of Kerala, India Sharma joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as National Project Director, Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation and served there for three years. He was the pioneer in branding and promoting Kerala Tourism as ‘God’s Own Country’ and was part of the core team of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) launched by the Prime Minister of India in December 2005.

Sharma had published the first India Urban Poverty Report 2009, first City Human Development Report 2009 Mumbai and policy papers on Poverty Alleviation, Tourism Development, Habitat Development, and Industrial investment promotion.