Central Information Commission
Mr. T. Sadagopan vs Southern Railway on 12 May, 2009
CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Club Building, Old JNU Campus,
Opposite Ber Sarai, New Delhi 110 067.
Tel: +91 11 26161796
Decision No. CIC/SG/A/2009/000488/3189
Appeal No. CIC/SG/A/2009/000488
Relevant facts emerging from the Appeal:
Appellant : Mr. T. Sadagopan,
Alwar House No. 27- 28,
II School Street, Pattabiram,
Chennai-600072.
Respondent : DGM & PIO,
Southern Railway, Headquarter Office, Chennai -600003.
RTI application filed on : 29/05/2008 PIO replied : 12/06/2008 First Appeal filed on : 18/06/2008 First Appellate Authority order : 25/06/2008 Second Appeal filed on : 24/02/2009 Particular of required information :-
The appellant had asked in RTI application about the Broad Gauge (BG), EMU Suburban Services on the Chennai Central-Arakkonam Corridor. The appellant also said that for nearly two decades, the BG-EMU Suburban Services running on the Chennai - Tiruvallur-Arakkonam Section were operated satisfactorily till 1998 since introduction in 1979, but things changed from bad to wost only after arbitrary annual revision of timings from July 1999, further leading to passenger's agitations and protests after the July 2007 revision. Even though the print media had published that the Minister of State for Railways-Sri R. Velu has instructed Railway Authorities to restore old EMU timings the Railway authorities simply ignored the minister's instructions as well as passenger's genuine demand for the past one year, resulting in passenger's dis-satisfaction and frustration round the clock.
In above matter the appellant has asked names and designation of the officials. Train nos. time, date of the various dates of inspection. And many more 19 Para information to the PIO in his RTI Application.
The PIO replied.
With reference to your letter dated 29/05/2008 addressed to Dy. General Manager, PIO, Southern Railway, Chennai-03, the information as requested by you has been made ready for this office. The fee involved for the information requested is detailed below. Rs.
1. Cost of Salaries and Allowances for making ready of the details - 379/-
2. Cost of Paper (1page) - 2/-
Total - 381/-
It is requested that the above amount may be remitted to Sr. Divisional Cashier, Chennai Division, Southern Railway, Chennai 600003 to enable us to furnish the details as requested.
First Appellate Authority Ordered:
The above could not consider as these are not covered under the scope of "information" as defined in the RTI Act, instead these are questions about the actions of Southern Railway administration. Indicate any record of documents or any information in any other form of which this office is the custodian, so that we are pleased to provide the same.
Relevant facts emerging during hearing:
The following were present.
Appellant: Absent Respondent: Mr. Shaligram, PIO The PIO says that most of the queries were not seeking information as defined under section 2(f) of the Act. There are only three points on which the information was sought out of which he gave information for two and the information on the third query and is not available in the format sought by the Appellant. The PIO is directed to offer inspection of records for this.
Decision:
The Appeal is allowed.
The PIO will facilitate an inspection of the relevant records and give photocopies of records that the Appellant wants upto 200 pages free of cost.
This decision is announced in open chamber. Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Shailesh Gandhi Information Commissioner 12 May 2009 (In any case correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.)