The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, 18.02.2026 : Rajesh Kumar Pandey, a distinguished officer of the 1989 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineering (IRSSE), has officially taken over as the General Manager of Northern Railway.
A native of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Pandey brings a robust academic background to his new role. He earned his B.E. in Electronics from Madan Mohan Malaviya Engineering College, Gorakhpur, followed by an M.Tech from IIT Delhi.
He began his illustrious career in the Indian Railways as an Assistant Signal and Telecom Engineer in Barauni. Since then, he has served in several high-impact roles across the railway network, including:
• RDSO: As Director of Inspection, where he overhauled quality assurance protocols.
• East Central Railway: Served as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Samastipur) and Divisional Railway Manager (Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Division).
• Western Railway: Held various senior capacities, notably spearheading the installation of axle counters in the Mumbai suburban section to ensure uninterrupted services during the monsoon.
Pandey is widely recognized for his leadership in major infrastructure and safety projects. During his tenure as DRM, he played a critical role in the completion of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. He is also a key figure in the development and implementation of Kavach, India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system. Most recently, as Additional Member (Signal) at the Railway Board, he successfully oversaw the installation of Kavach across a 400 km stretch, significantly enhancing rail safety.
Vision for Northern Railway
As he takes the helm of Northern Railway, Pandey has outlined a clear set of strategic priorities aimed at modernizing the zone and improving the passenger experience: Safety First: Strengthening safety protocols across operations,Quality Service Delivery: Ensuring punctuality, Infrastructure: Rapid development of railway infrastructure with an uncompromising focus on quality, Satisfaction: Enhancing both customer experience and staff welfare.
The guiding motto of new General Manager is “Rashtra Pratham, Grahak Pratham, Sarvatha Pratham” (Nation First, Customer First, Always First) .
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