My Promotion to Regular SAG and My Joining at Shimla as DDG DOT HPLSA

I was promoted again, and an order was issued on June 4, 2025, to the SAG Regular grade and posted as DDG at the Department of Telecom (DOT) HPLSA. Last year, in 2024, I was promoted, but I was posted in BSNL at Chennai Telecom District as GM (EB), and this was the reason for my denial of the promotion. Although the order for place of posting was modified later, and I was posted to Merrut as GM (Mktg) but I did not want to get posted in BSNL, and thus I have finally denied the promotion. Anyway, I will tell you this in detail later in another article. In this article, I will concentrate on my joining on promotion to Shimla as DDG.

I knew it first-hand that my promotion could be issued from DOTHQ at any time after 29th May’25. Since I had denied my promotion w.e.f. 29th May, thus it was expected after this day in this year, as I was barred for 1 year for promotion as per the DOPT policy.

I wanted to get posted at Chandigarh/ Mohali, i.e. in the Punjab LSA of DOT, as there was a vacant post here after the retirement of Mr Mohan Lal in April’25. Since I had passed 3 years only at this location thus I had at least 3 years remaining tenure to get posted here. So, I have decided to send a request letter to DOTHQ to consider me for posting at PBLSA. My request letter was sent in mid-May through the proper channel.

I had already reminded the director (staff) at DOTHQ about my eligibility for promotion, and it was due after 29th May. Since it was my case thus I had to pursue it as I was thinking that DOTHQ may not be aware of my case as it was a single case. However, Director (Staff) DOTHQ, Mr Manish, was aware, and he is a well-behaved officer. He assured me that an order would be issued soon and a favourable posting would be given.

The promotion order was issued on 4th June’25, and I have been given a posting at HPLSA Shimla as DDG, which was against my expectations. Some other officer was considered for posting at Chandigarh, which was not expected by me. Had there been my posting at Chandigarh Government would have saved a lot of money, as I had to be given Transfer charges by the Government for my posting to another place when a post was available at my current place of posting. But a higher office always has power and justification for their decision, and they might be right in their thought process, as I am thinking of my selfishness, which could be biased.

In whole India, I was ready to get posted anywhere except Shimla (HPLSA), Delhi, Tamilnadu and other hilly north eastern states. So, I was ready about 18 places but not in Shimla. 3 years back, I posted out from Shimla to Chandigarh due to medical reasons. Therefore, I was shocked when I saw my posting. Even my last year’s promotion and posting in BSNL was better than this one. This posting is life-threatening for me. Since I had COVID in 2021 during the Delta wave, I suffered severely with it for a very long time. I was admitted to the hospital for about 26 days during that time. Later, I suffered a lot of health issues, and I was not able to survive in Shimla. It was my second life as I had seen death coming very near me then. With a lot of effort and pursuation of DOTHQ, they had considered my request for transfer in May’22, and I was posted at Chandigarh (PBLSA). It was a sorry state of our department (DOT), which does not consider genuine requests of officers who do not have connections with higher officers or political connections. Mr Purohit was the DDG (Staff/ Pers) in 2022, who was not well-behaved and always rejected my request. Anyway, I will write about this later in another article.

Since last year, I have denied the promotion due to posting in BSNL, thus I was not in the mood to go to DOTHQ to request the change in posting place. Rather, I started looking for a way forward. So, I put a pause and decided to wait for my relieving till the end of June. So, I have requested the admin section of the current LSA (PBLSA) to relieve me at the end of June, and they have agreed and asked me to send a request by mail, and I have sent the same. PBLSA officers are very cooperative, adjusting and supporting. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude to these officers (they are the best).

Now, I thought of 3 options for me to proceed further. I have discussed with my better half also about this. Since she had an accident on 25th April and my ankle fracture on 16th May, So we were already going through a lot of trouble. Here are my 3 options that we thought together –

1. First Choice – Try to get study leave by getting admission to any course in Chandigarh/Mohali. This will allow me to stay here in Chandigarh while my daughter study would continue. Though my government quarter may not be retained. Since approval for study leave comes from DOT HQ thus I have to try it after joining as DDG.
2. Second Choice – If the first choice fails, then I will request for transfer, considering my exception list given above.
3. Third Choice – The hardest one is to take VRS (Voluntary Retirement from Service).

I got relieved on 30th June from Punjab LSA DOT and prepared for joining at Shimla (HPLSA). I have called the taxi and planned to join and then come back same day. The taxi charged me Rs 4200/- for a to-and-fro. At about 7:30 AM, I left my house and started my journey to Shimla on 1st July’25. It was a good day with clouds in the sky and cool weather, which turned out to be a rainy day after a few minutes, as it was heavily raining after some time. On the way, I called the head of HPLSA, Mr Charan Singh (Additional DGT of HPLSA), who is a very good officer. He welcomed me and asked me to come with ease. Anyway, I arrived at the office, that located at Chhota Shimla in the BSNL building. I got very negative feelings when I arrived at the office.

I met most of the people there and explained a few about my condition, but only a few showed sincere concern about my health. But none were negative. I have submitted my joining there and met Mr Charan Singh, Addl DGT and explained about my plan to meet officers of DOTHQ and request for sanctioning the study leave. He has shown concern about my health condition and suggested to pursue as I wish.

I have also requested Addl DGT Mr Charan Singh to open an office at Sundarnagar or at Mandi, as it was planned a few years back. But he was not in agreement, and it was also difficult for him to allow me, as it needed to be approved by DGTHQ New Delhi, which was a little difficult task for him.

At around 5:30 PM, I left the office for Chandigarh. I have submitted 10 days’ leave and to come back on 14th July’25 again. I will cover my week’s stay details from 14th July to 18th July, in another article, which was a really difficult period for me at Shimla.