From February 18, 2026, the Railway Board has fundamentally altered how Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are evaluated, mandating the engagement of retired government officers for peer review across all Zonal Railways. As of February 19, 2026, this directive aims to eliminate planning flaws that frequently lead to massive cost overruns and delays in infrastructure projects.

Railway Board Order Feb 2026: Peer Review Mechanism

The order dictates that before any major infrastructure project is sanctioned, its DPR must undergo a rigorous peer review. Instead of relying solely on expensive external private consultants, divisions are now authorized to hire retired railway or central government officers possessing specific technical domain expertise in civil, signaling, or electrical engineering.

In practice, many DDOs and Accounts Officers face severe audit queries when clearing consultancy bills for private engineering firms due to complex GST and deliverables clauses. Engaging retired officers shifts the framework to standard honorarium and re-employment rules, making the financial vetting process significantly smoother for the accounts department.

Remuneration Structure for Retired Reviewers

The financial framework for engaging these experts strictly follows the Ministry of Finance and DoPT guidelines for the re-employment of retired personnel. The compensation is not an arbitrary consultancy fee but is mathematically pegged to their pre-retirement pay scale under the “Last Pay Drawn minus Pension” formula.

An officer retiring at Level 14 drawing a final basic pay of Rs 1,77,400 will receive a fixed monthly remuneration of Rs 88,700 for the duration of the engagement. This generates an annual supplementary income of Rs 10,64,400, alongside their regular pension, without affecting their Dearness Relief (DR) eligibility.

Exclusions: Who Cannot Be Empanelled?

The vigilance directorate has placed strict guardrails on this empanelment process. Not every retired officer is eligible for this lucrative peer-review role, ensuring that only officials with impeccable service records evaluate critical public infrastructure.

Practical Action: The Empanelment Process

For retired officers looking to participate in this Peer Review panel, the application process requires specific documentation to pass the initial scrutiny by the Personnel branch.

• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Zonal Principal Chief Engineer (PCE).
• Attach the final Pension Payment Order (PPO) to verify the last pay drawn for remuneration calculation.
• Sign the mandatory Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) regarding upcoming railway alignments and confidential tender values.