NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has extended the tenure of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) managing director Mangu Singh (66) till September 30.
Singh, whose tenure comes to end this month, has been given an extension after obtaining the concurrence of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The order was issued by the Delhi government's transport department on Wednesday.
The Delhi government had earlier written a letter to the ministry for giving an extension of six months to Singh. The Delhi government and Central government have equal stake in the DMRC and its Managing Director is always designated by the state government, with concurrence of the centre.
This is the third extension for Singh, who has been a part of DMRC since the very beginning. Singh is DMRC’s second managing director and took over from E. Sreedharan on December 31, 2011.
Singh got his first extension in December 2016 and the second one for three and a half months in December 15, 2020, which comes to an end on March 31, 2021. Sources said that the process of selecting Singh’s successor is going to begin soon.
Singh oversaw Delhi Metro’s Phase III expansion, when the network length doubled compared with the combined network built during Phase I and Phase II projects. Work on the Phase IV project started in 2019-end and received a jolt due to the Covid-19 pandemic but has gained pace in the last few months. Singh is at the helm of DMRC when it is facing major financial constraints caused by the pandemic.
Singh cleared the elite Indian Railways Services of Engineers (IRSE) examination in 1981 and has been with the Indian Railways in various capacities including Deputy Chief Engineer, Kolkata Metro Railway (1989-1996). He joined DMRC in 1997 as Chief Project Manager and moved upwards to Executive Director and then Director (Works).
Singh has vast experience and expertise in construction of underground structures in urban environment and is considered the most experienced engineer in this field in the country.