Women Empowerment Gets A Big Boost In SCR

• Five Crucial Departments on SCR i.e., Commercial, Operating, Finance, Security & Medical departments are being led by Women Officers, for the first time in the history of SCR.

Five Important departments on South Central Railway i.e., Commercial, Operations, Finance, Security & Medical departments are currently being led by Women Officers in the South Central Railway zone. Ms. K.Padmaja (IRTS) Principal Chief Operations Manager is currently handling the Operating department, Ms. Aroma Singh Thakur (IRPFS) is leading the Security department as the Inspector General – cum – Principal Chief Security Commissioner (IG-cum-PCSC), Ms. T. Hema Sunitha (IRAS) is leading the Finance wing of SCR as Principal Financial Advisor, Ms. Ity Pandey (IRTS) is leading the commercial department as Principal Chief Commercial Manager, SCR, while Dr. Nirmala Narasimhan (IRHS) is leading the Medical department as Principal Chief Medical Director, SCR.

For the first time in the history of South Central Railway, these five crucial departments of the zone are being led by all women officers. These departments, known for their complexity and demanding nature, require exceptional leadership, decision-making and coordination to ensure the smooth operation of services, the safety & security of passengers, and the well-being of employees. Despite the challenges inherent in these high-pressure roles, these women officers are handling every aspect with utmost efficiency, setting a powerful example of excellence.

Ms. K. Padmaja (IRTS – 1991 batch) assumed charge as Principal Chief Operations Manager, SCR in January, 2025. Before assuming charge, she was looking after both Commercial and Operations wing of the Zone. As the PCOM, she plays a crucial role in planning train operations and ensuring safe, efficient and punctual movement of passenger and freight trains across the zone. The department manages scheduling and timetabling of trains, traffic management, co-ordination with other departments to addressing infra and rolling stock requirements, monitoring train operations and punctuality performance etc. During the current financial year (2025-26) until July, the zone has achieved a whopping 49 Million Tonnes in Freight loading generating freight revenue of Rs. 4,601 crores. The zone has also operated 1,117 special train services to facilitate the passengers during holiday season during the current year.

Mrs. Ity Pandey (IRTS - 1998 batch) has assumed charge as the PCCM (Principal Chief Commercial Manager), South Central Railway earlier in this month i.e., 2nd August 2025. As the head of the Commercial department, she supervises the effective management of passenger and freight services ensuring customer satisfaction and revenue generation. The Commercial department manages passenger services such as ticketing, reservations, customer assistance, freight services, station management, advertising, non-fare revenue, marketing & business development, revenue generation etc. Before taking charge as Principal Chief Commercial Manager, SCR, Mrs. Ity Pandey served as Divisional Railway Manager, Bhusawal Division, Chief Commercial Manager (Passenger Services) at the Central Railway Headquarters apart from various significant posts in Central and Western Railways. She has been honoured with General Managers Award (twice), Ministry of Railways Award for excellence and Meritorious Services 2007 and Women Achievers Award 2016. She has been honoured with Rail Mantri Rajbhasha Rajat Padak in June 2025. As Chief Commercial Manager (Freight), she wrote a Book named ‘Riding the Freight Train’, a comprehensive overview of Freight Operations over Western Railway. She has been recognized amongst the 24 Bureaucrat Change-makers of 2024 in the Bureaucrats Annual List 2024. She is a Marathon Runner and the only lady Civil Servant to complete the Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 2023 and completed a grueling 88-kilometer distance in 11 hours and 47 minutes.

Source/SCR