Implementation of Pass Rules and grant of travel facility on
privilege pass as per the choice of pass holder: Clarification requested
Registration No. : RTU/Nnn/31/2012
NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI - 110055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers' Federation (lTF)
No.I/15/Part III
Dated: 30/07/2018
The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Sub:
Implementation
of Pass Rules and grant of travel facility on privilege pass as per the
choice of pass holder - Railway Board's clarification-requested.
NFIR
invites attention of the Railway Board to the provisions contained in
Advance Correction Slip No. 32 to the Railway Servants (Pass) Rules,
1986 (2nd Edition 1993) where in Rule 3 (vi) which are as under :-
"Privilege
pass shall be issued for journey from the starting station to the
destination station as desired by the Railway servant, via shortest
route, provided that a longer route may be permitted on the Privilege
Pass in the following circumstances:-
a) Two alternative routes
are available for a destination, for example - Bombay to Calcutta via
Nagpur or via Allahabad and Bombay to Delhi by the Central Railway or by
the Western Railway - such pass may be permitted by either route
irrespective of the distance involved;
or
b) If the distance
to destination via a longer route preferred by the Railway servant does
not exceed by fifteen percent of the distance via the direct route such
pass may be issued even if a double journey over a small portion is
involved (for example - ex Chittaranjan to Kancharapara via Howrah or
ex-Lucknow to a station on the Southern/ South Central Railway via
Bombay VT), provided the distance does not exceed the distance via the
shortest route by more than 15% to take advantage of terminal facilities
as in Bombay VT - Kalyan or Madras - Arakkonam sections;
or
c) If the longer route to destination is quicker than the direct route irrespective of distance involved."
Federation
has received staff representations (also retired staff) that when
entitlement and choice is available between (a), (b) & (c) as per
ACS No.32, the authorities have been reluctant in issuing the
privilege/complimentary passes by wrongly interpreting to the effect
that clauses 3(vi) (b) and (c) are independent provisions as they have
been separated by the word ‘or’ between them, thereby, the provision in
Rule 3(vi) (a) is also independent.
Federation contends that the
interpretation as above is not correct in view of the fact that the
three provisions are meant to allow staff to avail either 3(vi) (a) or
(b) or (c) as per their convenience. The incorrect interpretation by the
Railway authorities has resulted deprival of right to employee to take
journey on his privilege pass, Similarly, the retired staff are also
denied, the privilege of travel as per their choice route on their post
retirement complimentary passes.
NFIR, therefore, requests the
Railway Board to issue suitable clarification to the Zonal Railways
etc., to enable the staff to avail privilege/complimentary passes and
take journey as per their choice in terms of provisions contained in ACS
No.32. copy of clarificatory instructions may be endorsed to the
Federation.
Yours faithfully
Sd/-
(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary.
Source: NFIR
