Centre objects selection procedure of Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

New Delhi, India (Metro Rail Today): The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has written to Delhi Government objecting the selection procedure of new Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC). Delhi Government has started interviewing the candidates applied for the post of Managing Director against the recruitment notice issued in February 2022.

The Ministry had written to the Delhi government on March 11, 2022 on the formation of the selection committee, asking it to have a “relook” and pointing out that it does not have a member from the Central Government, and specifically from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

“The letter from the Centre has been received. There are many legal loopholes in (it). Opinions are being taken from lawyers on this. We will reply to the letter,” said a spokesperson from Delhi Government. 

In their letter, it also said that the panel formed by the Delhi Government is “missing” experienced professionals. “Delhi Metro is having the largest metro network in the country and is the lifeline of National Capital Region. Managing Director of such a prestigious organisation should be a professional with proven competency and selected by experienced professionals associated (with) the field of metro construction and operations. It is felt that experience from relevant field is missing in the proposed committee,” said Manoj Joshi, Secretary, MohUA, in the letter addressed to Vijay Dev, Chief Secretary, Delhi Government. “Further, you will agree that selected candidates will neither be political appointee or unduly influenced by political consideration,” states the letter.

Manoj Joshi, who is also acting as the Chairman of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, said in the letter that the last committee formed in 2011 to select the incumbent Managing Director had members from the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) and people from engineering and metro construction and operations background. The 2011 selection committee had the then secretary of MoUD, Dr Sudhir Krishna; Chief Secretary, GNCTD, P K Tripathi; and the predecessor MD, E Sreedharan, as members. While the current selection committee formed on March 2 is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and has Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, World Resource Institute CEO O P Aggarwal and Additional Chief Secretary to the Delhi CM, Satya Gopal, as its members.

“As per the conditions of Memorandum of Understanding, MD DMRC selection will also require approval from central government. In view of the above, it is recommended to relook into formation of selection committee in the manner as done in 2011, so that fair and professional selection is done,” further stated in the Ministry’s letter.

The Delhi transport department had received a total of 35 applications for the post of Managing Director of DMRC, and shortlisted out 26 candidates initially for the first rund interview. Officials from metro railways as well as the Indian Railways had applied. The committee has started personal interview from March 14, 2022 and interviewed 24 candidates so far. The committee will further shortlist eligible candidates and a final round of selection will be held in the last week of March. Post the final selection, government will send the list to the Central Government (MoHUA) for approval.

The Central and Delhi governments have an equal shares in the DMRC, which has presently 17 directors, including a Managing Director from Delhi Government and a Chairman from Central Government.