There have been many such instances at the Vadodara division of Western Railways because the authorities too do not have the power to release VIP quotas during the past two days. The reason: National Convention of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Tired of giving explanations to the people, who are unable to swallow this fact, the government has issued an official directive to railway officials not to issue any VIP quota as party workers would be needing it to travel to and from the state.

Unable to cater to queries by harried aspiring passengers, the railway officials back home have put up a notice-board announcing that no quota would be release for the next two days.

VIP quotas are usually released by the commercial department of the Vadodara division. Priority is, however, given to the Member of Parliament and the Member of the Legislative Assembly. But apart from them, consideration is also given to the others depending upon the kind of emergency they face.

But with instructions that railway officials must not release tickets on VIP quota on these two days, they are helpless. One of the officials of the commercial division said, ``The VIP quota is usually meant for Members of Parliament but during such occasions even their associates come with the claim.''

He added that during such times these cannot be refused as it was an instruction that was issued by the state government. The number of VIP quota tickets issued daily basis varies from five to 15 per train. Tickets for trains like the 25 Dn Paschim Express are in great demand. Other trains for which several people apply for reservation in the VIP quota are Janata Express, Rajdhani Express, and the August Kranti Express, all to Delhi.

``More than 65-70 VIP quota tickets are released daily,'' said a top railway official, requesting anonymity. He admitted that VIP quota tickets are generally misused by party workers during such times.

He added that there has not been much demand of VIP quotas from the party on Sunday, but he added that the quotas were expected to come on Monday from party workers for the last day of the convention on Tuesday.

The official also added that due to such instructions even if the authorities want they cannot consider the genuine cases. He said, ``We have had many such requests and demands where the passengers have given valid reasons for travel, but we cannot consider due to the instruction from the government.''

The official also added that they were accepting the application but the number of quotas being released were much less than normal days. He added, ``We are accepting the applications and issuing tickets on the VIP quota very sparingly.''