Retired IAS officer I P Gautam has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL) for a two-year term. He succeeds Keshav Varma, who served in the role for nearly five years. Gautam officially took charge on Tuesday.
With over four decades of experience in public policy, financial management, urban governance, power sector management, and infrastructure projects, Gautam brings a wealth of expertise to the position. His tenure as Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner (2006-2011) was instrumental in developing the Sabarmati Riverfront project, a landmark urban transformation initiative. He later served as Principal Secretary of Urban Development, Housing, Ports, and Transport Departments (2011-2013) and as Managing Director of Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (2013-2019), overseeing key infrastructure developments in the state.
Before assuming his new role at SRFDCL, Gautam was a member of the Lokpal of India in Delhi for over four years until April 2023. His appointment comes at a critical juncture as the Sabarmati Riverfront enters an expansion phase, extending towards Gandhinagar. His extensive expertise in project execution, techno-legal frameworks, and large-scale infrastructure management is expected to drive the next stage of the riverfront’s development.
Additionally, Gautam also leads the High-Level Committee on Urban Planning, constituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, further reinforcing his role in shaping urban policy and infrastructure planning at the national level.
