Hari Shankar Verma, a 1987 batch officer of the Indian Railway Traffic Service, has assumed charge as Member Operations and Business Development, Railway Board, along with the role of Ex Officio Secretary to the Government of India. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Director General Safety in the Railway Board.
Verma brings with him a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades in Indian Railways, during which he has held several key operational and managerial positions across zones and divisions. His previous assignments include Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Central Railway, Mumbai; Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Southern Railway; Chief Passenger Traffic Manager, Central Railway, Mumbai; Principal Chief Operations Manager, South Western Railway, Hubli; and Director General of the Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management, Lucknow. In each of these roles, he is credited with delivering notable operational improvements and achieving significant performance benchmarks.
During his tenure as Director General Safety, Railway Board, Verma played a critical role in strengthening the safety framework of Indian Railways. With a sustained focus on systemic and process-oriented improvements, the number of consequential railway accidents was brought down substantially, contributing to a marked improvement in the overall safety record of the national transporter.
Verma has been recognised for his contributions with the Hon’ble Rail Minister Award on two occasions, in addition to multiple awards at the General Manager level. He has also undergone advanced management training in Singapore, Malaysia and Italy, further enriching his professional expertise.
Widely regarded as a specialist in railway traffic and operations management, Verma’s appointment is expected to strengthen operational efficiency and business development initiatives within Indian Railways, supporting its ongoing modernisation and growth agenda.
