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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIn January 2024, reports said the Railway Board had directed zonal railways and divisions to route replies to Right to Information (RTI) applications through senior managers. The advisory, dated December 28, came days after Central Railway disclosed a reported ₹1.63 crore cost for selfie installations featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The timing drew criticism, but the Ministry of Railways spokesperson denied that the advisory or a Central Railway officer’s transfer was connected to the disclosure; the available reporting does not establish a causal link.
How much did the selfie booths cost?
A Central Railway RTI reply dated December 21, 2023, reportedly listed 30 temporary selfie points at ₹1.25 lakh each and 20 permanent booths at ₹6.25 lakh each. Hindustan Times and Scroll summarized the total as ₹1.63 crore. These figures concern Central Railway’s network, not a verified all-India expenditure.
Hindustan Times reported that installations were spread across 50 stations in Central Railway’s five divisions: Mumbai, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Pune and Solapur. Although the wider initiative was reported to involve all 19 railway zones, the cited cost disclosure covered Central Railway alone. Hindustan Times, January 3, 2024; Scroll.in, January 4, 2024.
What did the new Railways RTI rules change?
According to contemporaneous reporting, a Railway Board advisory dated December 28, 2023, instructed zonal railways and divisions to obtain senior-level approval for RTI replies. Replies from zonal railways were to be approved by the General Manager (GM), and those from divisions by the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). First-appeal replies were to be shown to the relevant GM or DRM.
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Hindustan Times quoted the advisory as saying: “Replies to all RTI applications shall be approved respectively at the level of General Manager(GM) on the zonal railways and Divisional Railways Manager(DRM) in the divisions. Similarly, replies to first appeals received under the RTI Act need to be shown to the concerned GM and DRM.”
The reports said the advisory cited concerns about reply quality, missed disposal deadlines, the resulting volume of appeals, additional workload and reputational harm. The Ministry of Railways spokesperson described the instruction as an internal measure for convenience. The primary advisory was not available in the contemporaneous reports cited here, so its reported terms and rationale should be understood as reported rather than independently verified from the document. Hindustan Times; Scroll.in.
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Why was senior approval controversial?
Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi criticized the approval requirement, saying the RTI law did not specify such a process and that the public information officer bears responsibility for the information. Hindustan Times reported his view that information may be refused only under the exemptions in sections 8 or 9 of the law, while noting that some agencies had used oversight practices as a matter of administrative convenience.
That is Gandhi’s interpretation, not a legal finding established by the reports. The available coverage does not include a full legal analysis or the primary advisory, so it does not independently settle how the reported approval process interacts with the RTI Act.
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Was the officer transferred for revealing the cost?
Central Railway transferred chief public relations officer Shivraj Manaspure on December 29, 2023, according to the reports—eight days after the RTI reply and one day after the advisory date. The sequence prompted the original applicant, retired railway official Ajay Bose, to allege that Manaspure had been removed for providing the rates.
A Ministry of Railways spokesperson denied a connection between the advisory and either the RTI response or the transfer, saying the directive was unrelated and intended for convenience. The close timing fueled suspicion, but the reports do not establish that the disclosure caused the advisory or the transfer. Scroll.in quoted the spokesperson; Hindustan Times reported Bose’s criticism.
Quick Recap
What is known—and what remains uncertain
- Reported figures: Central Railway’s disclosure was summarized as ₹1.63 crore for 30 temporary points and 20 permanent booths.
- Reported policy change: The December 28 advisory called for GM or DRM approval of RTI replies and senior review of first-appeal replies.
- Stated administrative rationale: The reports cited reply quality, deadlines, appeals, workload and reputational concerns.
- Unproven allegation: Reporting documented the chronology and competing claims, but did not prove that the disclosure led to the advisory or Manaspure’s transfer.
- Current status: The reports date to January 2024 and do not establish whether the approval procedure remains in force in October 2026.
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