New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of five General Managers and one Additional Member (Planning), Railway Board, from various services of the Indian Railways to ex-cadre posts for the panel year 2026.
The appointments place senior officers from different railway services at the helm of some of the country’s most important railway zones, production units and strategic planning positions. The move is aimed at strengthening leadership across key railway establishments and enhancing administrative efficiency within the national transporter.
Six Senior Railway Officers Get Top Assignments
According to the official order, six senior officers have been appointed to ex-cadre posts, including five General Manager positions and one senior Railway Board-level assignment.
Prem Sagar Gupta Appointed General Manager, Metro Railway Kolkata
Prem Sagar Gupta of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) has been appointed as General Manager of Metro Railway, Kolkata.
Metro Railway Kolkata holds the distinction of being India’s first metro system and remains one of the country’s most significant urban transit networks.
Pankaj Sharma Named General Manager, North Western Railway
Pankaj Sharma of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) has been appointed as General Manager of North Western Railway, Jaipur.
The North Western Railway zone is a strategically important railway network serving large parts of Rajasthan and adjoining regions.
U Subba Rao Appointed General Manager, Southern Railway
U Subba Rao of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) has been appointed as General Manager of Southern Railway, Chennai.
Southern Railway is among the oldest and busiest railway zones in India, covering extensive operations across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry and parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Gitika Pandey Takes Charge as General Manager, Eastern Railway
Gitika Pandey of the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) has been appointed General Manager of Eastern Railway, Kolkata.
Eastern Railway is one of the major railway zones of Indian Railways, handling substantial passenger and freight traffic across eastern India.
Manish Agarwal Appointed General Manager, Integral Coach Factory
Manish Agarwal of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) has been appointed General Manager of the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
ICF is one of India’s premier railway production units and is known for manufacturing passenger coaches, including the indigenous Vande Bharat train sets.
Nilmani Appointed Additional Member (Planning), Railway Board
Nilmani of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) has been appointed as Additional Member (Planning) in the Railway Board, New Delhi.
The position is considered a key policy and planning role within the apex decision-making body of Indian Railways and is responsible for long-term infrastructure planning, capacity enhancement and strategic development initiatives.
Strengthening Railway Leadership for 2026
The latest appointments are part of the annual process of placing senior railway officers in leadership positions across railway zones, production units and the Railway Board.
With these appointments, Indian Railways is expected to benefit from experienced leadership across operational, engineering, financial and planning domains. The officers bring expertise from diverse railway services, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of railway administration and management.
The appointments also underscore the government’s continued focus on strengthening institutional leadership as Indian Railways pursues infrastructure modernization, network expansion, capacity enhancement and technology-driven reforms across the country.
