New Delhi [India], February 2 : Senior Indian Railway officer Hari Shankar Verma, 1987 batch IRTS, has assumed charge as Member (Operations and Business Development) of the Railway Board and Ex officio Secretary to the Government of India, the Ministry of Railways stated on Monday.
Prior to this appointment, Verma served as Director General, Safety, Railway Board.
During his distinguished career, Verma has held several key positions across Indian Railways, including Additional Divisional Railway Manager, CR, Mumbai; Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, SR; Chief Passenger Traffic Manager, CR, Mumbai; Principal Chief Operations Manager, Hubli, SWR; and Director General of the Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management, Lucknow. In all these roles, he is credited with notable achievements and records that strengthened operational efficiency and passenger services.
As Director General, Safety, Railway Board, Indian Railways' safety record was taken to new heights. With a focus on process improvement, the number of consequential accidents has drastically come down.
Verma has been recognised with the prestigious Rail Minister Award twice and has received several awards at the General Manager level. He also underwent specialised management training in Singapore, Malaysia, and Italy, and is widely regarded as an expert in railway traffic operations and management.
The Member (Operations and Business Development) of the Railway Board oversees critical domains such as Traffic Transportation, Coaching, Catering and Tourism, Traffic Commercial, Non-Fare Revenue, Marketing and Business Development, and Information Technology.