The Indian Railways and India Post have teamed up to offer a door-to-door pickup and delivery service for parcels weighing over 35 kilograms. The new service, called the ‘Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service,’ is aimed at making the logistics process seamless for people who are planning to shift homes in India.
The service is currently available on four sectors, including Delhi to Kolkata, Bangalore to Guwahati, Surat to Muzaffarpur, and Hyderabad to Hazrat Nizamuddin. However, the first phase will eventually cover 15 sectors in total.
To ensure efficient delivery, the Indian Railways and Department of Posts have upgraded their tools, machinery, handling equipment, and storage space. They have also developed specially designed boxes for packaging, such as fold-type boxes, envelope boxes, mesh-type boxes, and bubble guard boxes made of aluminium and lightweight materials. Furthermore, Parcel Aggregation Centers have been equipped with conveyor systems and specially designed rakes for efficient stacking.
Some of the salient features of the Indian Railways Door-to-Door Parcel Service include door-step pick-up and delivery, the flexibility of quantum of load, time-tabled service, safe transmission, and insurance. India Post will pick up the consignment at the customer's doorstep and transport it to the railway station, then transport it from the station to the destination address and deliver it at the doorstep of the addressee. The service is also flexible in terms of the quantity of goods to be transported, allowing for small loads of as little as 100 kg.
The Parcel Train operated under the Joint Parcel Product (JPP) Scheme is a time-tabled train with a scheduled departure and arrival at originating, intermediate, and destination stations. Indian Railways will provide intermediate transmission between origin and destination railway stations, in secured sealed boxes, ensuring safe and secure passage through time-tabled trains. Customers who use the JPP Service can obtain third-party insurance at a low cost of 0.03% of the cargo value from the Post Department.
To provide an affordable solution to customers, the first-mile and last-mile service charges are set at Rs 6/- per kg, offering competitive and cost-effective pricing in comparison to existing road rates. Additionally, a mobile app is being developed to allow customers to book consignments with an online payment facility and track the status of the consignment with a live tracking facility.
FAQs:
Q1: What is the maximum weight limit for the parcels to be transported via the Indian Railways Door-to-Door Parcel Service?
The service is available for parcels weighing over 35 kilograms.
Q2: Is there a mobile application for booking and tracking consignments under the JPP service?
Yes, a mobile app is being developed to allow customers to book consignments with online payment facilities and track the status of the consignment with live tracking features.
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