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Suraj Singh vs Northern Railway on 26 April, 2024

                             केन्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
                       Central Information Commission
                          बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
                        Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
                         नई निल्ली, New Delhi - 110067


File No: CIC/NRAIL/A/2023/111883

SURAJ SINGH                                           .....अपीलकर्ाग /Appellant



                                        VERSUS
                                         बनाम


CPIO,
Office of the Sr. Divisional
Operation Manager, Northern
Railway, Moradabad - 244001                           ....प्रनर्वािीगण /Respondent


Date of Hearing                     :    23-04-2024
Date of Decision                    :    25-04-2024

INFORMATION COMMISSIONER :               Vinod Kumar Tiwari

Relevant facts emerging from appeal:

RTI application filed on            :    02-01-2023
CPIO replied on                     :    12-01-2023
First appeal filed on               :    03-02-2023
First Appellate Authority's order   :    09-02-2023
2nd Appeal received dated           :    13-03-2023


Information sought

:

The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 02-01-2023 seeking the following information:

"निवेदि है कि मुरादाबाद-सहारिपुर रे लवे मार्ग पर िााँठ में रे लवे फाटि 433B है जोकि िााँठ अमरोहा रोड िा फाटि है , जजसिे बन्द रहिे से फाटि पर अधिितर जाम लर्ा रहता है , इस सम्बन्ि में प्रार्थी निम्िललखित सूचिा प्राप्त िरिा चाहता है ।

1. फाटि संख्या 433 B िे बन्द होिे िी अधिितम समय सीमा िी सूचिा ।

2. फाटि िे अधिितम समय सीमा से ज्यादा दे र बन्द रििे पर, वाहिों िे लर्े जाम िो बैिजपपि रूप से, फाटि िे पास रे लवे लाइि िे िीचे बिी दो पुनतयों द्वारा वाहि नििासी हेतु, रे लवे िी िाली पडी भूलम िो अस्र्थायी िच्चे मार्ग िे रूप में स्तेमाल िर लेिे िी सहमनत िी सूचिा ।

3. फाटि िे अधिितम समय सीमा से ज्यादा दे र बन्छ रििे पर, रे लवे द्वारा जिता एवं बाहिों िो दी जािे वाली सुवविा एवं अधििार िी सूचिा ।

4. स्वय रे लवे िे बिाये िािूि िी अवहे लिा िर एम्बूलेंस जैसे इमरजेन्सी वाहिों िो रोििर, इन्साि िी जजन्दर्ी से खिलवाड, िरिे िे दोषी स्टे शि मास्टर व फाटिमैि िे ललए दाजडडत वविाि िी सूचिा ।"

The CPIO furnished a point-wise reply to the Appellant on 12-01-2023 stating as under:

"बबन्दु सं० 01 समपार फाटि सं० 433/बी पररचालि ववभार् िा इन्टरलॉि र्ेट है जो िेवल र्ाडी संचालि िे दौराि ही बंद होता है । बंद होिे िी िोई समय सीमा नििागररत िहीं है ।

बबन्दु सं० 2 रे लवे ROB, RUB or L-xing द्वारा ही रे लवे ट्रे ि िो पास िरिे िी सुरक्षित सुवविा दे ता है । यह पुललया तीिों में से िहीं है इसललए इसे सहमनत िहीं दी जा सिती।

बबन्दु सं० 3 इस तरह िी िोई सुवविा िहीं दी जाती है ।

बबन्दु सं० 4 र्ाडडयों िा संचालि प्रर्थम प्रार्थलमिता है । ट्रे ि संचालि िे ललए एि बार र्ेट िो बन्द िर दे िे िे बाद ट्रे ि संचालि पूर्ग होिे से पहले िोलिा ट्रे ि संचालि िे ललए सुरक्षित िहीं है ।"

Being dissatisfied, the appellant filed a First Appeal dated 03-02-2023. The FAA vide its order dated 09-02-2023, upheld the reply of CPIO.

Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.

Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:

The following were present:-

Appellant: Present in person Respondent: Shri Deepak Ken, CPIO appeared through video conference.

The appellant inter alia submitted that reply given by the respondent was incomplete and not satisfactory. He stated that there is unmanned barrier No. 433B at Amroha between Morabadab to Kath Railway station controlled by Station Manager. He stated that this gate remains closed for long period i.e., 30 to 45 minutes for passing of trains due to which nearby residents are facing problems. He also stated that a similar nearby barrier 432B is opened in 10 to 15 minutes of its closing as it was controlled by Gateman of Railway Department.

The respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that after receipt of hearing notice, they had provided revised reply to the appellant and the same was reproduced as under:

"1. समपार फाटि सं0 433/बी पररचालि ववभार् िा इडटरलॉि र्ेट है जो िेवल र्ाडी संचालि िे दौराि ही बंद होता है । बन्द होिे िी िोई समय सीमा नििागररत िहीं है।

2. रे लवे ROB, RUB or Level-xing द्वारा ही रे लवे ट्रे ि िो पास िरिे िी सुरक्षित सुवविा दे ता है । यह पुललया तीिों में से िहीं है इसललए इसे सहमनत िहीं दी जा सिती है

3. इस तरह िी िोई सुवविा िहीं दी जाती है ।

4. र्ाडडयों िा संचालि प्रर्थम प्रार्थलमिता है । ट्रे ि संचालि िे ललए एि बार र्ेट िो बन्द िर दे िे िे बाद ट्रे ि संचालि पूर्ग होिे से पहले िोलिा ट्रे ि संचालि िे ललए सुरक्षित िहीं है ।"

They stated that railway barriers were open to road traffic and usually opened after passing of the scheduled trains. They also stated that allegations made by the appellant in his submission regarding delay in opening of the unmanned barrier No. 433B at Amroha was not sustainable. They further submitted that Page 3 of 5 log records of opening and closing of barriers at Amroha were available with them.

Decision:

The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both the parties and perusal of the records, notes that the respondent has provided point-wise reply to the appellant 12.01.2023. After receipt of hearing notices, they had further provided revised point-wise reply/information to the appellant vide letter dated 28.03.2024. Perusal of the replies reveal that reply given by the respondent on point No. 1 of the RTI application is incomplete. The appellant requested the Commission to direct the respondent to provide copy of the log records of both gates Nos. 432B and 433B so that he could relate the timing of both the gates for opening and closing. There is a larger public purpose involved in the questions of the RTI application. The respondent public authority should consider the same sympathetically.

As regards other points of the RTI, these appear to be in the nature of grievance for which the respondent during the hearing informed that the appellant can approach the DRM, Moradabad for redressal for his grievances.

In view of the interest of justice, the respondent is directed to revisit the RTI application and provide copy of the log records pertaining to opening to closing of barrier Nos. 432B and 433B for passing of trains of last three months, free of cost within two weeks' time form the date of receipt of this order. The FAA to ensure compliance of this order.

The appeal is disposed of accordingly.

Vinod Kumar Tiwari (विनोद कुमार वििारी) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयुक्त) Authenticated true copy (अनिप्रमानणर् सत्यानपर् प्रनर्) (S. Anantharaman) Dy. Registrar 011- 26181927 Date Page 4 of 5 Copy To:

The FAA, Office of the Sr. Divisional Operation Manager, Northern Railway, Muradabad - 244001 Page 5 of 5 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-

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