Railway Department General Manager Dilantha Fernando has resigned from his position with immediate effect citing "undue interference" from senior ministry officials.

The General Manager has handed over his letter of resignation to the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.

It is learnt that the official decided to quit his post after he came under pressure from an influential party to exonerate a union leader who was penalized for being drunk while at work.

The development has come against a backdrop where the Railways Department is also facing continuous trade union actions over salary anomalies.