Railway Ministry Assigns Additional Responsibilities Amid Upcoming Retirements

New Assignments for Railway Zone General Managers
The Railway Ministry has appointed the General Managers (GMs) of the Central and South Coast Railway zones to take on additional responsibilities for the Western and South Central zones for a period of three months. Both GMs are set to retire on June 30, 2025. However, some experts believe that the ministry has failed to complete the selection process in a timely manner.
Ongoing Selection Process
Officials from the ministry have stated that the selection process is still underway, emphasizing that this is not the first instance of a GM from one zone being assigned to oversee another zone. A railway official mentioned, "This will not disrupt any operations, project implementations, or decision-making processes within any zone."
Official Circular Details
In a circular issued on June 27, the Railway Ministry announced that Sandeep Mathur, the GM of South Coast Railway, will also take on the responsibilities of the GM of South Central Railway for three months or until a regular officer is appointed, whichever comes first. The current GM, Arun Kumar Jain, is scheduled to retire on June 30, 2025.
Similar Orders for Western Railway
In a similar directive, the ministry has assigned Ashok Kumar Mishra, the GM of Western Railway, to the role of GM of Central Railway, which will be managed by Dharmveer Meena for three months, as Mishra is also retiring on June 30. Retired GMs and senior officials have criticized the delays in regular appointments.
Criticism of the Ministry's Preparedness
A retired official remarked, "The retirements of the two GMs were known in advance and not unexpected. This indicates the ministry's failure to implement the selection process on time, which they are aware of. I don't believe there is a shortage of qualified senior officials available for GM appointments."
Concerns Over Timeliness
Another senior official, who retired as the director-general of a prestigious railway institution, stated, "This reflects a lack of adequate preparation on the ministry's part. With two GMs leaving their posts due to regular retirement, the ministry was well aware of this situation but took no action." Many experts have suggested that decisions regarding the GM position should have been made three months in advance, and for the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) position, at least six months prior.