The Kochi Metro Officers Association (KMOA) has written to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan seeking the appointment of a serving IAS officer with experience in infrastructure projects as the managing director (MD) of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).

The association said such an appointment would ensure effective coordination between KMRL and the State and Central governments, district administration, local bodies, government departments, national and international funding agencies, and other stakeholders. This would help transform the metro agency into a model urban mobility institution in the country, it said.

The KMOA’s demand comes in the wake of the end of Loknath Behera’s tenure as KMRL MD in August and the District Collector being given additional charge of the post temporarily.