Providing information under the RTI Act, MMPOL in a covering letter mentioned who the public information officer (PIO) is.
Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), a special purpose vehicle that runs the city's first Metro service between Versova and Ghatkopar, has accepted the public authority tag. MMOPL is a consortium between Veolia, MMRDA and Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra). Citizens can now seek information about Metro rail operations from MMOPL by filing an RTI application with them.
Providing information under the RTI Act, MMPOL in a covering letter mentioned who the public information officer (PIO) is. Information is also put up on the website, which lists the details of PIO, first appellate authority (FAA) and second appellate authority, which is the state information commission.
Not so long ago, the state information commission had declared the body as public authority on a complaint of former central information commissioner, Shailesh Gandhi. The order was passed on March 19 by joint bench of state chief information commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad and state information commissioner (Brihanmumbai bench), Ajit Kumar Jain.
Gandhi had sought information on the safety report given by the commissioner of railways from MMOPL. MMOPL in its reply stated that the letter was transferred to MMRDA as it does not come under the RTI. Before Gandhi's RTI application to MMOPL, dna had sought same information from MMRDA. MMRDA then denied having information and stated that MMOPL did not share it with them.
In a letter dated April 17, 2015, MMOPL provided Gandhi the required information he had sought earlier. However, it is yet to provide any other information under section 4 of the RTI Act, which makes it mandatory for a public authority to provide any information, suo motu, that will be helpful to citizens.
The state information commission, in its landmark order, stated that the body comes under the RTI. It is now in the category of other bodies that have been held as public authority by the information commissions.
Gandhi expressed his happiness at the move, saying: "In a way, I compliment Reliance for not trying this thing in court unnecessarily. I have filed a caveat and they seem to have decided not to challenge the information commission order that declared them a public authority. It is a good way to tackle things. The government should now raise their conditions in all PPP models that they are a public authority and come under RTI."
When MMOPL was asked if they would voluntarily share information as mentioned in the RTI Act, a spokesperson responded: "MMOPL is following the process and procedures as provided in RTI Act, 2005."
Where to file RTI for Mumbai Metro?
Public Information Officer
Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd,
Mumbai Metro One Depot,
D.N. Nagar, J.P. Road, 4 Bunglows,
Andheri (W), Mumbai 400053
Email: rti@reliancemumbaimetro.com
Public Information Officer
Vineet Nadgir, Deputy General Manager
Appellate Authority
Debasis Mohanty, Director
Second Appellate Authority
Maharashtra State Information Commission
13th Floor, New Administrative Building,
Opp. Mantralaya, Mumbai
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