NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Railways on Tuesday transferred top railway officials two weeks after the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed 18 lives and left many others injured.
The Ministry transferred Sukhwinder Singh, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of the Delhi Division, and appointed Pushpesh R Tripathi in his place, transferring him from Allahabad.
It also replaced Mahesh Yadav, the Station Director (SD) of New Delhi Railway Station, with Laxmi Kant Bansal, replacing Yadav in the same capacity. The Ministry also transferred Anand Mohan, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SDCM) of the Delhi Division, and appointed Nishant Narayan from the freight section of the same division.
Singh, who was appointed DRM of Delhi Division in July 2023, was set to complete his two-year term later this year. The Railway Ministry's transfer order stated that Pushpesh R Tripathi, from the North Central Railway Zone, Allahabad, had been made the new DRM of Delhi, replacing Singh. Notably, the Ministry has kept all three transferred officials, including Singh, waiting for further posting orders.
“The Ministry of Railways, with the approval of the President, has decided that Pushpesh R Tripathi, NFHAG (non-functional higher administrative grade)/IRSEE (Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers)/North Central Railway, should be transferred and posted as DRM/Delhi/Northern Railway, vice Shri Sukhwinder Singh, IRSEE, orders for whom will follow,” the order states.
Railway officials, however, denied that Singh's transfer is linked to the recent stampede, although the order came coinciding as first such order of transfers just a fortnight after the tragic stampede which occurred during the Mahakumbh rush at New Delhi station.
Meanwhile, a reliable source further hinted that more transfers of railway officials and employees may follow in the coming days. However, the report from the railway inquiry committee has not yet been submitted due to the ongoing investigation into the stampede, although the Ministry appears to have taken the incident very seriously, albeit quietly.