Lucknow/Varanasi: In a landmark achievement for the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Prashasti Srivastava, a 2017-batch IRTS officer from Lucknow, has become the first woman to be appointed as the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr DCM) of the North Eastern Railway (NER), Varanasi Division.
The 33-year-old officer assumed charge on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone not only for the Varanasi Division but also for women officers in the Indian Railways. Widely recognised for her innovative work in freight operations, Srivastava had earlier received the prestigious Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Award, the highest service honour of the Indian Railways.
The Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) Association congratulated her on the historic achievement, describing her appointment as a proud milestone for women officers leading operational excellence and customer-centric reforms in Indian Railways.
First Woman to Lead Commercial Operations in Varanasi Division
With her appointment, Prashasti Srivastava has become the first woman Senior Divisional Commercial Manager in the history of the North Eastern Railway’s Varanasi Division.
As the Sr DCM, she will oversee commercial operations, passenger services, revenue generation and customer experience across one of the important divisions of the North Eastern Railway.
Soon after assuming charge, she held a review meeting with senior railway officials to assess commercial performance and passenger service initiatives.
Focus on Passenger Services and Operational Excellence
After taking over the new assignment, Srivastava outlined her priorities for the division.
She said her focus would be on improving passenger amenities, ensuring safe and seamless travel, enhancing customer satisfaction, increasing railway revenue and promoting a transparent and accountable work culture.
Her emphasis on service quality and operational efficiency reflects the broader transformation initiatives currently underway across Indian Railways.
Engineering Background and IRTS Career
Prashasti Srivastava belongs to the 2017 batch of the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS).
A graduate in Mechanical Engineering, she joined the Indian Railways on December 10, 2018, after being selected through the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
She began her railway career as Assistant Commercial Manager in the Agra Division of North Central Railway (NCR).
During her tenure in Agra, she served in several important positions, including:
- Assistant Commercial Manager
- Divisional Commercial Manager
- Divisional Operations Manager
Before her latest posting, she was serving as Senior Commercial Manager (Claims) at the North Eastern Railway Headquarters in Gorakhpur.
National Recognition for Freight Innovation
Prashasti Srivastava is widely known within the Railways for introducing an innovative freight handling solution that significantly improved operational efficiency.
During her tenure in the Agra Division, she conceptualised and implemented a semi-mechanised conveyor belt system for loading and unloading freight wagons.
The initiative substantially:
- Reduced wagon unloading time.
- Improved operational efficiency.
- Lowered labour costs.
- Increased freight handling capacity.
The project’s success led the Railway Board to adopt the model across goods sheds under its Integrated Goods Shed Policy, making it one of the notable innovations in Indian Railways’ freight operations.
Recipient of Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Award
In recognition of her outstanding contribution to freight management and innovation, Prashasti Srivastava was conferred the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Award in December 2023.
The award is the highest service honour of the Indian Railways and is presented to officers who make exceptional contributions to railway administration and operations.
Her recognition brought national attention to the innovative practices being adopted by young railway officers to modernise freight logistics.
IRTS Association Congratulates Officer
Congratulating Srivastava on social media, the IRTS Association described her appointment as a landmark moment for the service.
The association noted that her journey—from pioneering innovations in freight operations to receiving the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Award and now becoming the first woman Sr DCM of NER’s Varanasi Division—reflects the leadership, professionalism and excellence of the Indian Railway Traffic Service.
It further said the achievement showcases women IRTS officers leading from the front while driving operational excellence, customer-centric reforms and the ongoing transformation of Indian Railways.
A Milestone for Women in Indian Railways
Prashasti Srivastava’s appointment represents another important step towards greater representation of women in leadership positions within Indian Railways.
As the first woman to head the commercial department of the Varanasi Division, she is expected to play a key role in improving passenger services, strengthening commercial performance and advancing operational reforms in one of North Eastern Railway’s key divisions.
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