Retired Konkan Railway ex-chief PRO succumbs to COVID-19

Retired Konkan Railway ex-chief PRO Siddheshwar Telugu

A senior retired railway official, who had worked as Konkan Railway's chief public relations officer and general manager (administration) succumbed to the novel coronavirus in Western Railway's Jagjivan Ram Hospital at Mumbai Central on Sunday. The senior retired railway official was 62.

Siddheshwar Telugu, who worked with the Western Railway in 1994, joined the Konkan Railway in 2006 and had been handling various posts. Between 2014 and 2016, he handled the public relations department. He retired in October 2018. Telugu is survived by his wife and married children. His close friends said that he tested COVID-19 positive on July 5 and since then was admitted to the hospital.

Hundreds of comments poured in on his demise among the railway employee groups with senior officials remembering him as a humble and down-to-earth person. "He helped many new engineers in Konkan Railway to find jobs in 2000. IRCON recruited almost 30 of them who are doing very well," an official recalled.

Railways fans who interacted with him over photography permissions and train-spotting sessions said that Telugu was always co-operative. A senior rail fan said, "This is very sad news. We have lost an absolute gem of a person."

Media friends recalled Telugu as a very co-operative person who as Deputy General Manager and Chief Public Relations Officer had organised a successful trip from Mumbai to the Konkan Railway's ambitious Uddhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Link project.

"I was in touch with Telguji when he was looking after the PR of WR. He was a very kind and humble person and had very positive views for passengers' help. After shifting from WR to Konkan Railway, he continued to appreciate our work for rail users through social media or personal calls. In my last call, he had invited us to work and contribute to Konkan Railway administration for passenger welfare," said Shailesh Goyal of Western Railway's Zonal Consultative Committee, the official passenger representative body on WR.

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