Vishal Kapoor Assumes Charge as Divisional Railway Manager, Howrah

Vishal Kapoor Assumes Charge as Divisional Railway Manager, Howrah

Vishal Kapoor, IRMSE (1994 batch), has assumed charge as Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Howrah Division of Eastern Railway on 05th August 2025. He is an Officer of the 1994 batch of Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRMSE) and brings with him a diverse professional experience spanning over three decades across Indian Railways, and the Power sector

An alumnus of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore,Kapoor holds a Masters degree in Public Administration. He is also a Special Class Railway Apprentice (SCRA) from IRIMEE, Jamalpur, and has academic qualifications in Mechanical Engineering from the Engineering Council (London) and AMIE (India).

Kapoor joined Indian Railways in 1994 and served in various technical and leadership roles. Between 1997 and 2010, he held important assignments as AME, DME, and Sr. DME at Abu Road, Phulera, Vadodara, Sabarmati, and Vatva on Western Railway in open line and Diesel Sheds. He also led the export of 25 locomotives to Tanzania and Myanmar from. Diesel Shed: an Indian Railways first. From 2010 to 2015, he served as Director (Standards) at Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO), where he contributed to the design of India?s first automobile-carrying wagons and other special freight cars.

From 2015 to 2022,Kapoor served as Director and later Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Power, where he was a principal driver of the ₹3 lakh crore Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), India?s largest power sector reform. He also contributed to India achieving universal electricity access through schemes like DDUGJY, IPDS and SAUBHAGYA, while advancing Distribution utility reforms, digital transformation (GIS, SCADA, IT/OT), and financing mechanisms with multilateral agencies such as ADB, World Bank etc.

From 2022 to 2025, as CEO of EESL and MD & CEO of CESL, he contributed immensely to Indias largest electric bus program (20,000+ e buses) under various Government of India Schemes, expanded CESL?s international Electric Vehicle initiatives, contributed to formation of a ₹3,500 crore Payment Security Mechanism, and pioneered EESL Mart, the first digital marketplace for energy efficient products and equipment.

Kapoor has successfully led large, cross-functional teams and worked at the intersection of infrastructure, technology, and public policy. His work has consistently reflected strategic vision and results-driven execution, particularly in areas of modernization, sustainability, and public service delivery. Under his leadership, Howrah Division aspires to further strengthen its legacy of operational excellence, enhance the quality of passenger services, and accelerate the pace of infrastructure modernization in alignment with the overall goals of Indian Railways