Chennau, Aug 28:
Senior IAS officer Ashish Chatterjee has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), following the transfer of M.A. Siddique from the post.
Chatterjee will take charge at a crucial time for the city’s Metro network, with the massive Phase II project progressing across several corridors and Chennai witnessing steady growth in Metro ridership.
Siddique, who had been serving as CMRL Managing Director, has been shifted as Finance Secretary. The appointment of Chatterjee marks an important administrative change at the helm of the Metro organisation.
The new Managing Director will oversee the ongoing expansion of Chennai Metro, including construction under the ambitious Phase II project, which is expected to significantly expand connectivity across the city and its suburbs.
CMRL is currently executing work on three major corridors under Phase II, connecting Madhavaram with SIPCOT, Lighthouse with Poonamallee and Madhavaram with Sholinganallur. The project involves extensive tunnelling, elevated stretches and construction of new stations and depots.
The change in leadership comes as the Metro network prepares for the next phase of expansion and works towards integrating new corridors with the existing system.
Chatterjee is expected to focus on speeding up project execution, improving commuter services and ensuring coordination among multiple agencies involved in the large-scale infrastructure programme.
The Metro expansion is considered one of Chennai’s most important urban transport projects and is expected to ease road congestion and improve connectivity to key residential, commercial and industrial hubs.