The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved five senior-level appointments to the Railway Board, bringing in new leadership across critical areas such as infrastructure, finance, human resources, safety, and operations. The reshuffle includes the appointment of three Members and two Director Generals, reflecting the government’s push to reinforce top management as Indian Railways undertakes large-scale modernisation and capacity expansion.
Among the five officers, two holding Level-17 posts have been moved through lateral shifts, a move seen as part of a strategic realignment to match experience with priority areas of the rail sector.
Key Appointments Approved by ACC
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Vivek Kumar Gupta (IRSE: 1988) has been appointed Member (Infrastructure), Railway Board. A senior officer of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers, Gupta will be responsible for overseeing major infrastructure works, network expansion, and modernisation projects across the railways.
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Manjusha Jain (IRAS: 1988) has been appointed Member (Finance), Railway Board. As an officer of the Indian Railway Accounts Service, she will lead financial planning, budgeting, expenditure control, and revenue management at a time when Indian Railways is making heavy capital investments.
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Aruna Nayar (IRPS: 1987) has been appointed Director General (Human Resources), Railway Board. With decades of experience in personnel management, she will oversee human resource policies, recruitment, training, and employee welfare initiatives across one of the world’s largest workforces.
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Hitendra Malhotra (IRMS: 1987 – Electrical) has been appointed Director General (Safety), Railway Board. He will be tasked with strengthening safety systems, accident prevention mechanisms, and compliance standards across the railway network.
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Hari Shankar Verma (IRMS: 1987 – Traffic) has been appointed Member (Operations & Business Development), Railway Board. His role will focus on improving operational efficiency, train operations, logistics, and exploring new business opportunities for Indian Railways.
Strengthening Rail Governance
Officials said the appointments are aimed at aligning leadership with the evolving priorities of Indian Railways, including infrastructure upgrades, financial discipline, workforce management, passenger safety, and operational excellence. The lateral movement of senior officers is intended to ensure that expertise is optimally deployed in areas requiring immediate attention.
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With these changes, the Railway Board is expected to be better equipped to drive reforms, manage large-scale projects, and support the railways’ transformation into a more efficient, modern, and customer-focused transport system