Noida: Senior IAS Krishna Karunesh has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Noida Authority, replacing IAS Lokesh M., a 2005-batch IAS officer.
Karunesh is a 2011-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
The appointment comes amid heightened public scrutiny following the death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta in Sector 150, Noida, on January 16, 2026. The incident triggered widespread protests and allegations of negligence against real estate developers and the Noida Authority, prompting the state government to make a leadership change.
Krishna Karunesh recently served as Additional CEO of the Noida Authority from July 2025 to January 2026, where he oversaw operations and project management. His familiarity with the authority’s functioning is expected to help restore public confidence and improve accountability.
Originally from Patna, Bihar, Karunesh holds a B.A. Honours in Geography and an LL.B. from Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh. He also has a Master’s degree in Public Policy from IGNOU, New Delhi.
Karunesh has previously held several key positions in Uttar Pradesh. He served as District Magistrate of Gorakhpur from June 2022 to July 2025, focusing on law and order, public service delivery, and infrastructure development. He has also been Vice Chairman of the Ghaziabad Development Authority, where he handled urban planning in the NCR region.
Earlier, Karunesh served as District Magistrate of Balrampur, Hapur, and Hazaribagh, and worked as Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Chief Development Officer in Ghaziabad.
