It refers to question raised in Lok Sabha on 20.11.2019 where some members said that they felt ashamed when they could not ensure railway-reservation on their recommendations. Big question is why priority in railway-reservation is given on recommendations of MPs thereby depriving ordinary people from extra reserved seats in rail-coaches.
Also MPs should be reimbursed for rail-travel only on submitting proof of actual rail-travel verified by the TTEs to avoid multiple reservations in different trains for a single journey. Cost of un-availed reserved rail-berths or seats should be deducted from their salaries or pensions. Free entitlement of rail-travel including for Parliamentarians and those travelling at government-expense including for those in public-sector-undertakings should only be for two-tier air-conditioned rail-travel rather than for first-class air-conditioned class or above.
There are reports that some persons entitled for free rail-pass with a companion like aged freedom-fighters misuse facility of taking one companion along with them free in railway-trains. They reserve berths for two including themselves, and then sell free rail-pass of the companion to other. It should be compulsory to submit ID proofs of the entitled one and the accompanying companion with signatures while getting free rail-passes. Original ID proofs by both the entitled one and the accompanying companion should be compulsorily carried while travelling along with another set of photo-copies which should be got signed before the Train-Ticket-Examiner TTE. Facility of free-rail-pass should be withdrawn immediately if being found being misused.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL