Central Information Commission
Dr. Augustine Roy Rozario vs Southern Railway on 26 September, 2023
Author: Uday Mahurkar
Bench: Uday Mahurkar
के न्द्रीयसच
ू नाआयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबागंगनाथमागग,मुननरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नईनिल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
द्वितीयअपीलसख्ं या / Second Appeal No.:- CIC/SORLY/A/2022/159077-UM
Dr. AUGUSTINE ROY ROZARIO
....अपीलकताा/Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO,
M/o. RAILWAYS, Sr. DCM & PIO/MAS,
SOUTHERN RAILWAY, COMMERCIAL BRANCH, CHENNAI DIVISION,
PARK TOWN, CHENNAI, TAMILNADU-600003
..... प्रद्वतवादीगण /Respondent
Date of Hearing : 15.09.2023
Date of Decision : 25.09.2023
Date of RTI application 06.07.2022
CPIO's response 11.08.2022
Date of the First Appeal 24.08.2022
First Appellate Authority's response Not on record
Date of diarized receipt of Appeal by the Commission 19.12.2022
ORDER
FACTS The Appellant vide RTI application sought information, as under:-
1) Details of Passenger/MEMU Train nos, From &To which were stopping at lTCHIPUTUR Station between AJJ and TRT Section of MAS Divn of S. Rly prior to the Covid 19 restrictions.Page 1 of 4
2) Details of the Number of Tickets sold and passenger revenue earned at lTCHIPUTUR Monthwise/Yearwise for the 3 year period 2016 to 2019.
3) Steps taken by Railway Board to restore Pass/MEMU trains post Covid restrictions and PROVIDE STOPPAGE AT CHITTERI ,(A MAIN BLOCK STATION) ON the AJJ-
KPD section of MAS Divn/S.Rly,for MEMU Tno.16085/86 (AJJ-KPD Section)& MEMUTno.16087/88 (AJJ-SA),which was provided stoppage at Chitteri during covid as Workman Spl and now stops at all Stations except Chitteri ,despite classification as a MEMU Exp Train.
4) Steps taken by Chennai Divn/S.Rly to utilise the Spare MEMU Rake idling at AJJ and other Terminals to operate at least 6 more MEMU Services on the AJJ-KPD -JTJ Sections as the present available MEMU Services are grossly inadequate to the demand especially after the Tamilnadu State Government has extended the CMDA/City limits to Sholinghur (80kms).
5) Steps taken by Southern Railway to arrange for the lnspection by the Commissionerof Rail Safety/Bangalore(CRS/SBC) for conducting lnspection of all Stations on the AJJKPD Section,despite completion of the Platform elevation work at all Stations on hissection to suit EMU requirements.
6) Details of Daily/Monthly Season Tickets sold /Passenger Revenue earned at allStations on the MAS -TRL-AJJ-KPD-JTJ Sections of MAS Divn of S.Rly - Monthwise /Year wise for the 5 year period trom 2017-22.
7) Railway Board Norms for Extension of Suburban Limits to Non-Suburban Sectionswhere EMU Services are operated beyond the Classified Suburban Limits as Extended Suburban Areas,as the Suburban Limit is classified up to 6l kms -Chennai Beach Chingelput Section alone,whereas it is classified only up to Tiruvallur(42Kms) & Gummidipundi(4BKms) Ex. Chennaithough EMU Services are operated up to Tiruttani(84Kms) &Sullurpetta (81 kms)from Chennai Central.
Page 2 of 48) Details of Names of Various Zones / Divns /Sections/ From and To Stations /SectionalDistance and Sections classified by Railway Board as Suburban Sections.
9) Reasons for withdrawal of Return Tickets for Passenger Trains running up to 200kmsover Non-Suburban Sections wef 1.3. 2016 and Steps taken to restore this Return TicketFacility,when Unreserved Tickets issue has been cornputerised over lndian RailwayS.
10) Details of Railway Board transfer Policy for JA Grade officers and above.
11) Progress in amalagamating/merging of all IRS Services into two as announced by theHon'ble Prime Minister for better efficiency.
12) Steps taken to recover the money of nearly a Crore lost by Railways around 5 yearsback due to misapproriation of a Group D Staff under Sr DPO/MAS/S.Rly,who managedto change the details of Names of Railway Staff and their Bank details.Whether any FIRwas filed in this connection,details and progress in the case. Steps taken by Railways torecover the money and prevent such losses.
The PIO vide letter dated 11.08.2022 furnished a reply to the Appellant. Dissatisfied with the reply of the CPIO, the Appellant approached the FAA.The order of the FAA, if any, is not on the record of the Commission.
Thereafter, the Appellant filed a Second Appeal before the Commission.
HEARING:
Facts emerging during the hearing:
The following were present:
Appellant: Present through AC Respondent: Absent The Appellant said that he is not aware of the contents of the case, therefore agreed to decide the matter on the basis of merit. The Respondent remained absent during the hearing.Page 3 of 4
DECISION:
Keeping in view the facts of the case and the submissions made by the Appellant and on the perusal of the documents on record, the Commission directs the Respondent to Re-examine the RTI Application and furnish correct information to the Appellant, in accordance with the spirit of transparency and accountability as enshrined in the RTI Act, 2005 within a period of 21 days from the date of receipt of this order under the intimation to the Commission.
The Appeal stands disposed accordingly.
(Uday Mahurkar) (उदय माहूरकर) ू ना आयुक्त) (Information Commissioner) (सच Authenticated true copy (अद्विप्रमाद्वणत एवं सत्याद्वपत प्रद्वत) (R. K. Rao) (आर.के . राव) (Dy. Registrar) (उप-पंजीयक) 011-26182598 द्वदनांक / Date: 25.09.2023 Page 4 of 4