Central Information Commission
Anubhav Raj vs North Central Railway on 30 August, 2024
केन्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई निल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
File No : CIC/NCRAL/A/2023/135622
Anubhav Raj .....अपीलकर्ाग /Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
PIO,
NCR Railway, O/o the GM,
Subedarganj, Prayagraj -211015 ....प्रनर्वािीगण /Respondent
Date of Hearing : 22.08.2024
Date of Decision : 29.08.2024
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Vinod Kumar Tiwari
Relevant facts emerging from appeal:
RTI application filed on : 07.05.2023
CPIO replied on : Not on record
First appeal filed on : 18.06.2023
First Appellate Authority's order : Not on record
2nd Appeal/Complaint dated : 14.08.2023
Information sought:
The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 07.05.2023 seeking the following information:
"1.NCR Zone में आने वाले प्रयागराज डिववजन, झाांसी डिववजन, आगरा डिववजन के अांर्तगर् आने वाले स्टे शन प्रयागराज, कानपुर, गललयाबाद, मथुरा, आगस, झाांसी, लमजातपुर, इत्यादद स्टे शनों से खुलने / चलने वाली ट्रे न, र्था इन स्टे शनों से होकर गुजरने वाली train में लगे मदहला र्था ददवयाांगजन बोगी Identification no र्था train no के साथ जानकारी प्रदान करे ।
2. इन स्टे शनों से चलने वाली ट्रे न र्था होकर गुजरने वाली ट्रे न पर मदहला र्था ददवयाांगजन अांककर् होने की जानकारी ट्रे न न के साथ प्रदान करें र्था इन ट्रे न में मदहला/ ददवयाांगजन अांककर् होने ka Video Proto ट्रे न न के साथ मेरे whatsapp No. 9643254269 पर प्रदान करे ।Page 1 of 5
3. प्रयागराज, मथुरा, कानपुर, गाजजयाबाद, आगरा, झाांसी, लमजातपुर स्टे शन पर ददवयाांगजन बोगी में यात्रा कर रहे unauthorized passenger को ककए गए fine की जानकारी Sept-2022 & May-23 र्क train No र्था ददनाक साथ प्रदान करे । ज्ञार् हो कक ददवयाांगजन बोगी मे unauthorized passenger को 1500 से 2000 रु का fine ककया जार्ा है ।
4. प्रयागराज, कापुर, गाजजयाबाद, आगरा, मथुरा, झााँसी, लमजातपुर स्टे शन पर मदहला बोगी में यात्रा कर रहे unauthorized passengers की ककए गए fine की जानकारी train No र्था Date wise September-2022 से May 2023 र्क जानकारी प्रदान करे । ज्ञार् हो कक मदहला बोगी में 500 रु का fine unauthorized passenger को ककया जार्ा है ।
5. प्रयागराज, कानपुर, गाजजयाबाद, आगरा, मधुरा, झासी, लमजातपुर स्टे शन पर के मोबइल वें िर की जानकारी उनके नाम के साथ ददये गए I card की जानकारी प्रदान करे र्था इन स्टे शनों पर बेचे जाने वाले packaged र्था unpackaged products र्था अन्य सामान की जानकारी Rate र्था quantity के साथ Platform wise प्रदान करे । जनर्ा लमल बेचने वाले स्टॉल र्था वेंिर की जानकारी प्रदान करे ।
6. प्रयागराज, कानपुर, गाजजयाबाद, आगरा मथुरा, झााँसी, लमजातपुर स्टे शन जस्थर् स्टॉल, दक ु ान मोबाइल वें िर की जानकारी प्रदान करे । जजसमे वेंिर र्था कांपनी का नाम address, email, contact no platform wise प्रदान करे । इसके । इसके साथ रे लवे द्वारा ददये गए Contract Letter की सत्यावपर् काांपी प्रदान ककया जाए।
7. प्रयागराज, कानपुर, गाजजयाबाद, आगरा, मथुरा, झाांसी, लमजातपुर स्टे शन पर जस्थर् स्टाल वेन्िर । दक ु ानदार द्वारा रखे गए वेंिर, Mobile trolly, mobile Vendor खोमचा की जानकारी उनके नाम के साथ ददये गए I card की जानकारी और इन वें िर, Mobile trolly, Mobile Vendor, खोमचा द्वारा बेचे जाने वाले packaged र्था Unpackaged सामग्री का Rate र्था quantity on साथ जानकारी प्रदान करे ।
8. कृपया इन स्टे शनो के इन वें िरों की ललस्ट प्रदान करे जजनको ट्रे न के अन्दर खान-पान र्था अन्य सामग्री बचने की अनुमतर् प्रदान ककया गया है । उन Mobile Vendor / trolly र्था खोमचा की भी जानकारी प्रदान करे जजनको स्टे शन पर एक जगह fix होकर सामान बेचना है र्था उनकी जो एक प्लैटफ़ामत से दस ू रे प्लैटफ़ामत पर जा कर समान बेच सकर्े है । Mobile vendor की list के साथ ट्रे न के अांदर सामान बेचने की अनुमार्े की सत्यावपर् काांपी प्रदान करें ।"
Having not received any response from the CPIO, the appellant filed a First Appeal dated 18.06.2023. The FAA order is not on record. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Page 2 of 5Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:
The following were present:-
Appellant: Shri Anubhav Raj along with father/representative Shri M. Prasad, attended the hearing in person.
Respondent: Shri Anil Kumar Gupta, ACPIO-cum-ACM, attended the hearing through VC.
The representative of the Appellant stated that the Respondent has not provided the relevant information as sought in the instant RTI Application. He added that he is one of members of Welfare Association of Parents of Children with Disability and requires this information in larger public interest. He further added that his address has been changed and now he is residing at Shashi Bhawan Road no. 3, Azad Colony, Maripur, Muzaffarpur, 842001, Bihar. The Respondent submitted that initially vide letter dated 19.06.2023, the instant RTI Application was transferred under Section 6 (3) of the RTI Act to the concerned custodian of the records. However, upon receipt of the hearing notice from the Commission, their office has collected the information and has provided a compiled the information vide letter dated 21.08.2024. The contents of the same is as under:
""उत्तर मध्य रे ल के झााँसी मण्िल के वाणिज्य ववभाग से सांबांधधर् जानकारी / दटप्पिी तनम्न हैैः 1, 2. यात्री गाडी के वैगनों की सांख्या एवां नामाांकन याांत्रत्रक ववभाग द्वारा ककया जार्ा है. 3, 4. वाांतिर् जानकारी से सम्बांधधर् कोई भी ररकॉित इस कायातलय के अलभलेखों में उपलब्ध नहीां है. ददवयाांगजन एवां मदहला वैगनों में अनधधकृर् यात्री के ववरुद्ध RPF द्वारा कायतवाही की जार्ी है.
5, 6. झााँसी मांिल द्वारा मोबाइल वें िर अधधकृर् नहीां ककये गये है . साथ ही इस कायातलय द्वारा प्लेटफामत पर बेचे जा रही Packed एवां Unpacked सामानों का अलभलेख अनुरक्षिर् नही ककया जार्ा है.
7. वाांतिर् जानकारी सांलग्न है. स्टालों पर बेचे जाने वाली सामग्री से सम्बांधधर् पत्र सांलग्र है. उपरोक्र् के अतर्ररक्र् आवेदक ककसी भी कायत ददवस में 07 ददन पूवत सूचना के उपराांर् उपजस्थर् होकर सम्बांधधर् अलभलेखों का तनररिि कर सकर्ा है.
8. झााँसी मांिल द्वारा वर्तमान में कोई ट्रे न वें िर अधधकृर् नहीां ककये गये हैं. उत्तर मध्य रे लवे की प्लेटफामत वेंडिांग पाललसी के अनुसार लाइसेंसी तनयमानुसार भुगर्ान कर प्लेटफामत वेंडिांग टोकन प्राप्र् कर सकर्ा है."Page 3 of 5
The Commission interjected and asked the Appellant if he has any objection to if his email id is included in decision which goes in public domain, the Appellant said he has no objection.
The representative of the Appellant further informed the bench that the Appellant is a PwBD with a significant degree of disability and frequently travels by train for medical treatment. He added that not only the Appellant but people like him faces difficulty in locating the disabled person coach and women's coach when a train arrives on a platform as there is no information regarding the identification number of disabled person coach and women's coach. Some websites have attempted to provide coach sequencing for a particular train number but sequencing between set of rakes vary. Hence it doesn't help a PwBD person like Appellant/Appellant. He further apprised the bench that no information is placed in public domain on the railway platforms regarding the duty list of the officers either deployed by the RPF or by Indian Railways to aid, assist and help the PwBD.
Decision:
The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both the parties and perusal of the records, observes that a suitable reply based on available records has been prepared by the Respondent vide letter dated 21.08.2024 but a copy of the same has not been sent to the Appellant and accordingly the CPIO is directed to send a copy of the same along with the relevant enclosures both on Appellant's email i.e. <[email protected]>, as well as through speed post, within two weeks from the date of receipt of this order.
Considering the issue flagged by the Appellant as described herein below, an Advisory under Section 25 (5) of the RTI Act is hereby issued to the Respondent Public Authority to disclose the requisite information upfront in public domain. It is imperative to note that the problems faced by the Appellant and several other persons like him with benchmark disability are genuine and further requires proactive and sympathetic consideration with considerable sensitivity as it also involves larger public interest of a very special section of the society. The instant case demonstrates lack of a sensitive system due to which PwBD like Appellant who are already facing problems like social and economic stigma, physical accessibility, limited access to accessible communications, Page 4 of 5 assistive technology, limited access to recreational and leisure activities, difficulty in accessing emergency services and limited support for mental health and well-being, are further made to face difficulty in locating the special coach designated exclusively for disabled persons and women's coach, when a train arrives on a platform as there is no advance disclosure of information regarding the identification number of disabled person coach and women's coach. Further, no information is placed by the Respondent Public Authority on the railway platforms regarding the duty list of the officers either deployed by the RPF or by Indian Railways to aid, assist and help the PwBD. Having to resort to RTI Application merely to seek such information and having to reach up to Second Appeal/Complaint in RTI process in the matter does not augur well for all the Respondents.
Such information should also be kept on the website of the Respondent in the spirit of suo moto disclosures prescribed under Section 4 of the RTI Act as recently directed by Hon'ble Apex Court in the case titled Kishan Chand Jain v. UOI & Ors. WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) No. 990 of 2021. This will also relieve the Public Authority of the burden of RTI Applications, which are filed seeking such information. In pursuance of the aforesaid advisory, the CPIO is directed to place a copy of this order before their competent authority for taking appropriate action.
The First Appellate Authority to ensure compliance of this order. However, before parting with the case, the Respondent is cautioned to act strictly within the precincts of the RTI Act by observing the timelines scrupulously and punctually, in future.
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 5 of 5 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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