Lucknow: Northern Railways spent 69 lakhs rupees to catch mice, and in three years, they spent this amount to catch 168 mice. It cost the railway 41,000 rupees to catch just one mouse. This revelation came in response to Chandrashekhar Gaur's RTI query.
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Let's delve into the complete story.
You might find it quite amusing that the railway spent such a hefty sum just to catch mice. However, this is indeed the truth that has come to light through the RTI. Chandrashekhar Gaur had filed an RTI with Northern Railway's Lucknow Division and Muradabad Division, seeking information about the expenses incurred in catching mice. Only the Lucknow Division has responded to the RTI query, while the Muradabad and Firozpur Divisions have not provided any response.
Unveiling through RTI
In response to Chandrashekhar Gaur's RTI, Northern Railway's Lucknow Division disclosed that they spent 69 lakhs rupees over three years to catch 168 mice. Astonishingly, it cost the railway a whopping 41,000 rupees to catch just one mouse. However, it's worth noting that this information has not been officially confirmed, and the railway has not issued any statement regarding this matter.
Queries raised about the railway
The question being raised is whether the railway genuinely spent 69 lakhs rupees solely to catch mice. What kind of technology was employed that incurred an expense of 41,000 rupees to catch a single mouse? Could it be that all this money was misused under the guise of catching mice? How many divisions across the country may have experienced such financial misconduct in the name of catching mice?
What's surprising is that, on one hand, the railway is unable to provide passengers with basic amenities, despite passengers paying for train travel. Sometimes, even in AC coaches, passengers have to travel under conditions similar to general coaches, with little attention paid to cleanliness. If the railway were to utilize this money for the betterment of passengers, it could potentially alleviate some of their issues.