Chandauli(UP)/Delhi: Upset over not getting seats in AC first class coach, over 20 MPs from Bihar, who travelled to capital on Patna Rajdhani, lodged a protest with the Railway Minister, who on Wednesday ordered "strong action" against concerned official.
The MPs had to travel in AC second class from Patna to New Delhi on Tuesday as their bogey could not be attached in the train due to some technical fault, Railway sources said at Mughalsarai Railway Station on Wednesday.
On reaching Mughalsarai Railway station, the MPs including Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) expressed their displeasure over the arrangement and alleged that the Railways deliberately did not pay heed to it, they said.
The MPs also said that they would raise the issue in Lok Sabha.
Speaking in New Delhi, Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi said, "I have apologised to them (MPs) over phone. I have already started taking action against the senior most officials involved in it".
"We have taken strong action and we will suspend the senior most official involved in this. This is not acceptable that Parliamentarians have to face this," Trivedi told reporters outside Parliament House.
26 MPs were coming to the capital on Tuesday on the train. However, railways could accommodate only 6 MPs with their spouses in AC first class and rest were accommodated in AC second class.
There are a total 22 berths in AC first class and 16 berths were already booked by passengers. "We could provide AC first class berths to six MPs with their spouses and rest were accommodated in AC second class," said a Railway Ministry official.
MPs and ex-MPs get free AC first class railway passes to travel with their spouses.
Mostly JD(U) and RJD MPs, including Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav and Jagadanad Singh, were travelling in the Rajdhani which started at 7.25 pm on Tuesday from Patna.
On the regular delays in train running due to fog, Trivedi said, "I apologise to passengers who are dealyed due to fog. Until we go for complete modernisation and we do not change the signalling system completely, which requires a lot of money, it would be difficult."
He said Railways' first priority is safety and there will not be any compromise with it.
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