After Row Over PM Selfie Points, Indian Railways Tighten RTI Norms

New Delhi: Following the controversy over the cost of selfie points with Prime Narendra Modi's image installed at railway stations, the Indian Railways has tightened norms for Zonal Railways furnishing information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. As per the changed rules, all RTI replies must go through general managers of zonal railways or divisional railway managers.

The Railway Board, in an advisory sent out to general managers, on December 28, 2023, said it had come to its notice that lately "quality of replies to RTI applications handled by Zonal Railways and other field units had deteriorated", according to The Hindu.

"Timelines for disposal of RTI applications were surpassed in many cases resulting in a large number of appeals filed before the First Appellate Authority or the Central Information Commission, not only increasing the quantum of work but bringing disrepute to the organisation," the advisory stated.

To tide over these problems, the advisory said a decision had been made that timelines for disposal prescribed in the Act should be complied with at any cost. On the other hand, it also said to ensure quality, all RTI replies going forward must be approved respectively at the level of the general manager (GM) in Zonal Railways and divisional railway managers (DRMs) in the Divisions. "Similarly, replies to first appeals received under the RTI Act need to be shown to the GM and DRM concerned," the advisory added.

So far, the Railways had Public Information Officer and Chief Public Information Officer under provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, to furnish information sought by petitioners. Neither general managers nor divisional railway managers had any role to play as appellate or competent authority as per the Act, Hindu reported quoting sources in the Southern Railway.

The changes have been brought into force after it came to light that each permanent selfie booth with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image costs Rs 6.25 lakh while each temporary selfie booth costs Rs 1.25 lakh, which is the approved cost by the Central Bureau of Communication under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The above information was, in fact, furnished by the Central Railway in response to an RTI query.

The controversy further deepened after the authorities transferred Central Railway’s Public Relations Officer Shivaji Manaspure against the backdrop that it was Manaspure's deputy, Abhay Mishra, as Deputy General Manager of Central Railway, disclosed the information pertaining to selfie points. Manaspure had been in the post for seven months while the tenure of the said post is for two years.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought to underline that Manaspure's transfer was done as an act of punishment due to the embarrassment caused to the Modi government. “Shahenshah ki raza, sach ka inaam saza (King rewards truth with punishment)," Gandhi had written on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Authorities at Indian Railways refute the allegations that Manaspure's transfer was due to the information revealed on selfie points. They say it was only due to operational reasons. On the other hand, they say revised guidelines had nothing to do with RTI response.

Meanwhile, Ajay Bose, a former railway employee, who had sought information on selfie points through an RTI application said: "RTIs filed to seek response on expenditure incurred [on the 3D booths] from Southern, Western and Northern Railways did not elicit any response."

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