An RTI response from Rajya Sabha Secretariat confirmed that no cancellation-charges are levied on cancelled rail-reservation done by Parliamentarians because they are privileged with facility of free rail-travel. It is a bitter fact that all seats and berths in railways in first-class air-conditioned coaches are full much-much in advance mostly in name of Parliamentarians which are not availed in practice in most cases, causing problems for passengers desiring reservation in first-class air-conditioned class. It is usual practice with many Parliamentarians that they make multiple reservations for single journey to keep many options open to travel as per convenience.
This is a criminal waste of public-resources. System may be formulated whereby full cancellation-charges may be recovered from Parliamentarians not availing rail-reservation like is done from members of public. Full cost of rail-ticket may be recovered from Parliamentarians who neither travel nor cancel their train-reservation.
Since seats and berths in first-class air-conditioned train-coaches are very limited and mostly reserved for Parliamentarians with free-travel facility, Parliamentarians should be allowed free rail-travel only upto second-class air-conditioned class. In case, they wish to travel in higher class like first-class air-conditioned or Anubhuti class, they should be asked to pay for such luxury-travel. Facility of free travel in these higher classes should be only on payment-basis abolishing free travel-facility altogether for any category.
MADHU AGRAWAL