Mahanagari Express (22178) VIP/Emergency Quota Distribution Details

Objective

To check how many seats were allotted under VIP/Emergency Quota in Mahanagari Express (22178)

Category

Corruption

Organization

Each train has reserved seats under VIP/Emergency Quota. This seats is to be used by VIP or Railway Officials only in case of Emergency.

To get a seat under the emergency quota, a letter of recommendation issued by a gazetted officer or a concerned VIP has to be submitted before the journey.

An RTI was filed with Northern Railway-Lucknow Division to obtain such type of data about the Mahanagari Express (22178) which originated from Varanasi Railway Station and the destination is C Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai.

The point wise details asked in the RTI are :-

In the month of May 2022, how many seats were allotted or number of passengers travelled under VIP Quota/Emergency Quota in Sleeper Class, 3AC, 2AC, 1AC in Mahanagari Express.(Kindly provide day wise categorisation of allotted seats).
Kindly provide the designation of each traveller travelled under VIP Quota/Emergency Quota in Mahanagari Express in the month of May 2022 in each class. (Sleeper Class, 3AC, 2AC, 1AC)..(Kindly provide day wise categorisation of allotted).

The Point wise answer of the concerned Central Public Information is given below :-

उपरोक्त संदर्भित पत्र के सम्बन्ध में अवगत करवाना है की आप द्वारा मांगी गयी सूचना संवेदनशील जानकारी है तथा वी०आई०पी मूवमेंट से सम्बंधित है, अतः आपका कोई व्यापक लोक हिट प्रतीत नहीं होता है इसलिए केंद्रीय लोक सूचना आयोग द्वारा केस नंबर CIC/NRALI/A/2019/14966 दिनांक 22.01.2022 के अनुसार सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम-2005 के नियम 8-1 के उपनियम "J" के अंतर्गत जानकारी उपलब्ध कराना न्यायसंगत नहीं है।

Aggrieved by the decision we filed instant first appeal, but the First Appellate Authority did pay heed to the written argument of Appellant and provide the below mentioned order :-

"मैने अपीलकर्ता के RTI आवेदन दिनांक 28.06.2022 तथा CPIO के उत्तर पत्र C/130/RTI/Case-2022-00548 दिनांक 12.07.2022 को ध्यान से देखा। मामले की जाँच के पश्चात यह पाया गया की CPIO द्वारा सूचना का अधिकार के तहत जानकारी प्रदान की गयी है जो नियमसंगत है।"

Then Appellant decided to file second appeal in this case to get the information sought. On 25th of July, the Central Information Commission heard both the parties. And luckily the order is in favour of use. The glimpse of CIC order is :-