‘No Time to Mourn’: Railway Staff Question Urgency of Meeting Held Before GM Vijay Kumar’s Last Rites

Reported by Amit Singh
Mumbai, 11th November 2025: The railway fraternity has expressed deep anguish and disappointment after a review meeting was convened within hours of the sudden demise of Central Railway General Manager Vijay Kumar even before his last rites were performed.

According to officials, news of Vijay Kumar’s death due to cardiac arrest during sleep was officially shared around 10 a.m. on November 11. By evening, the newly assigned General Manager (additional charge) of Central Railway, Vivek Kumar Gupta, who also serves as General Manager of Western Railway called a review meeting with senior officers.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “It is very inhuman that within eight hours of our General Manager’s demise, a review meeting was called while his rituals were yet to be completed. We are all in deep pain. If such a senior and respected officer is not given dignity in death, who will care for the lower-level staff who work day and night?”

He added, “The meeting felt more like an induction that could easily have been held tomorrow morning. It’s disheartening to see humanity fading from such a prestigious organization.”

A retired senior railway officer also criticized the timing, saying, “At least a day of silence or condolence should have been observed, as many other departments in India do. Unfortunately, Indian Railways often fails to recognize its own people. I’ve seen this many times, two minutes of silence, and years of dedication are forgotten.”

A staff member from the General Manager’s office remembered Vijay Kumar as “a gem of a person who always greeted us with a smile and appreciated even the smallest contribution. He treated everyone with equal respect, regardless of their position.”

To understand the emotional impact of such actions, Punekar News spoke with psychologist Kamlesh Sonawane, who said, “In moments of deep loss, leaders must acknowledge the emotional weight carried by employees. While operational continuity is important, holding meetings before the completion of last rites can deepen grief and alienation among staff. Compassion and empathy should guide leadership, allowing time for mourning and emotional recovery, which ultimately builds a more resilient workforce.”

Responding to the criticism, Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said the meeting could not be postponed due to a nationwide high alert and the need to review security arrangements following the incident in Delhi.

He stated, “The meeting was primarily to discuss security-related issues in view of the incident at Delhi. The same information would have been shared by GM Vijay Sir during the regular Tuesday meeting itself, considering the sensitive nature of major stations under Central Railway such as CSMT, Pune, Nagpur, and others. GM Gupta Sir did not wish to hold the meeting so soon, but the situation demanded immediate attention. We are all deeply pained by the loss of Shri Vijay Kumar, it feels like a personal loss to many of us. However, duty comes first, and ensuring the safety of passengers and railway assets remains our top priority.”