Mr. Rajesh Kumar Pandey takes charge as General Manager, Northern Railway

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Mr. Rajesh Kumar Pandey, a distinguished officer of the 1989 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE), has officially assumed charge as General Manager of Northern Railway.

A native of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Pandey brings a rich academic experience to his new position. He earned a B.E. degree in Electronics from Madan Mohan Malaviya Engineering College, Gorakhpur, followed by an M.Tech. from IIT Delhi.

He began his illustrious career in Indian Railways as an Assistant Signal and Telecommunications Engineer in Barauni. Since then, he has served in several high-level roles across the railway network, including:

• RDSO: As Director of Inspection, where he improved quality assurance protocols.

• East Central Railway: Served as Additional Divisional Railway Manager in Samastipur Division and Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) in Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Division.

• Western Railway: Served in various senior positions, notably leading the installation of axle counters in the Mumbai suburban section to ensure uninterrupted services during the monsoon.

Mr. Pandey is widely recognized for his leadership in major infrastructure and safety projects. During his tenure as DRM, he played a key role in the completion of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. He was also a key figure in the development and implementation of Kavach, India's indigenous automatic train protection system. Recently, while serving as Additional Member (Signal) at the Railway Board, he successfully oversaw the installation of Kavach on a 400-kilometer stretch, significantly enhancing rail safety.

Vision for Northern Railway

Upon taking charge of Northern Railway, Mr. Pandey has outlined a clear roadmap of strategic priorities aimed at modernizing the zone and improving the passenger experience:

• Safety paramount: Strengthening safety standards in operations.

• Quality service delivery: Ensuring punctuality.

• Infrastructure: Rapidly developing railway infrastructure with an unwavering focus on quality.

• Satisfaction: Promoting both customer experience and employee well-being.

The guiding motto of the new General Manager is: "Nation First, Customer First, Absolute First."