Train fare formula is a trade secret, cannot be disclosed, Railways tells CIC

NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways has told the Central Information Commission (CIC) that the classification and methodology of fixing fares of antithetic classes successful rider bid falls successful the domain of "trade secret/intellectual spot rights", and therefore, cannot beryllium disclosed nether the Right to Information Act.This was disclosed portion the CIC dismissed an exertion seeking elaborate accusation connected the basal fare calculation mechanics for bid tickets, including dynamic pricing and the interaction of Tatkal bookings, with circumstantial notation to Paschim Superfast Express.The online exertion filed connected Jan 25, 2024, had asked railways to specify the components, parameters, dynamic pricing mechanisms, seasonal variations oregon different applicable factors influencing basal fare calculation for tickets.In its reply, the cardinal nationalist accusation serviceman (CPIO) of the Railway Board stated that fares were charged based connected people and the quality of fares successful assorted classes was based connected facilities provided. "In truthful acold arsenic classification and methodology of fare fixation of antithetic classes is concerned, the argumentation mechanics falls successful the domain of commercialized secret/intellectual spot rights and, arsenic specified its disclosure is not considered due successful nationalist interest," the CPIO stated.

The CPIO said that specified accusation request not beryllium shared nether presumption of Section 8(i)(d) of the RTl Act and added that this presumption had been upheld and reiterated by the Central Information Commission (CIC) successful earlier orders.Section 8 of the RTI Act lists exemptions for accusation that does not person to beryllium disclosed, protecting delicate information similar nationalist security, commercialized secrets and idiosyncratic privacy."It is simply a known information that the Indian Railways are tally arsenic a commercialized inferior and astatine the aforesaid clip it being an instrumentality of authorities are required to discharge assorted societal obligations successful nationalist interest," the railways said.The committee noted that the nationalist accusation serviceman had already provided each disclosable accusation and wide principles of railway standing policies, and was not required to make oregon construe information beyond disposable records.Finding nary infirmity successful the reply and noting the appellant's lack during the hearing, accusation commissioner Swagat Das said nary further involution was required and disposed of the appeal.