New Delhi, March 18 Officials are entitled to travel on Indian Railways trains with their families only in accordance with regulations, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday in a written statement in the Lok Sabha.
Vaishnaw made the statement in response to a question concerning the justification for allowing officials to travel complimentary with their spouses on luxurious trains such as the Palace on Wheels and the Maharaja Express.
VS Matheswaran, an MP from Tamil Nadu, raised the issue, asking the railway minister to provide the names and designations of railway officials who have been granted complimentary travel on these luxury trains since 2012.
The Palace on Wheels and the Maharaja Express are the most luxurious trains in the country, whose fare ranges from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 22 lakh per person, depending on the class and tour categories.
Matheswaran also questioned the reasoning behind permitting railway officials on official duty to travel with their spouses at public expense in these luxury trains.
"Railway officials are entitled to travel in Indian Railways trains with their families in accordance with Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986 only," Vaishnaw said.
Additionally, the MP from Tamil Nadu sought information on the timeline for completing the construction of a lift at Karur railway station.
"Development works at Karur Junction station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme have been taken up at a good pace. The works of improvement of station building, main entrance arch, platform widening and surfacing of platform no 1, platform shelter at platform no 2/3 and 4/5, AC waiting hall, general waiting hall, toilet at platform no 1, 2/3 and 4/5, circulating area and parking have been completed," Vaishnaw said.
He added, "The works of platform surfacing at platform no. 2/3 and 4/5, water booth, seating arrangement, lift, escalator and 12-metre Foot Over Bridge have been taken up."