Lok Sabha Question No. 3726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-11
Subject: Priority in Reservation under Special Quota
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3726 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2019

## PRIORITY IN RESERVATION UNDER SPECIAL QUOTA

†3726. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) whether there is a provision for giving priority in railway reservation in  trains  under  special  quota  on  the  recommendation  of  Members  of Parliament to the persons travelling in emergency  or in special circumstances;

(b) if so, the details of the directions issued in this regard;

(c) whether there is a provision for action to be initiated in this regard only on fax received from Members of Parliament by the officers which release the said seat or reservation quota and whether any directions for not initiating any action on letters sent by other paperless modes i.e. e-mail, Whatsapp or internet, have been issued; and

(d) if so, the details of such  directions issued  to the Divisional Headquarters of North West Railways (NWR)?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

******

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3726  BY  SHRI  RAHUL  KASWAN  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING PRIORITY IN RESERVATION UNDER SPECIAL QUOTA

(a)  and  (b):  In  order  to  meet  the  urgent  travel  requirements  of  High Official Requisition (HOR) holders (which includes Central Government Ministers,  Judges  of  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court/High  Courts  of  various States), Members of Parliament and other emergent demands, who are on  the  waiting  list,  a  limited  number  of  berths/seats  have  been earmarked  as  Emergency  Quota  in  different  trains  and  in  different classes. The quota is released by the Railways in accordance with the priority  as  per  warrant  of  precedence  and  well-established  practice being  followed  since  long.    At  the  time  of  allotment  of  berths/seats, emergency quota is first allotted for self travel of HOR holders/Members  of  Parliament,  etc.,  strictly  as  per  their  inter-se seniority  in  warrant  of  precedence.  Thereafter,  other  requisitions received  from  various  quarters  including  those  from  Members  of Parliament are considered and the remaining quota is released taking into account various factors like official status of passengers travelling,  nature  of  urgency  like  travelling  on  government  duty, bereavement  in  the  family,  sickness,  job  interview,  etc.  While  the requests  received  from  HOR  holders/Hon'ble  Members  of  Parliament for their self travel are complied with, in case of requests forwarded by  them  for  other  than  self  travel,  at  times,  it  is  not  feasible  to accommodate  all  such  requests  when  the  demand  exceeds  the availability.

(c): With a view to avoid misuse of facility of release of accommodation  out  of  Emergency  Quota  by  unscrupulous  elements, the emergency quota is released based on written requests received from  authorized  officials in original    and  through  fax  after  due verification.    No  instructions  for  accepting  such  requests  through e-mail or Whatsapp have been issued by Ministry of Railways.

(d): Does not arise.

*****