Indian Railways to charge 6 times more for extra luggage

Passengers travelling in the Indian Railways will now have to be careful while packing their bags for a journey, as the national rail system will now be levying hefty penalty for carrying excess baggage.

According to news reports, this move has been taken by the railway transport in response to the numerous complaints received about passengers travelling with too much luggage in Indian train compartments. The rules were already in place since more than three decades, but now the authorities will be rigid in enforcing them to resolve the nagging issue. Passengers caught travelling with more than the allowed luggage will have to pay six times the fixed amount as fine.

Reportedly, a sleeper class passenger is allowed to carry luggage weighing 40 kgs and a second class passenger can travel with 35 kgs. In case, a sleeper class passenger and a second class traveller are carrying a maximum baggage of 80 kgs and 70 kgs respectively, they are supposed to book and pay up for the excess weight at the parcel office. The fee for the excess baggage is equal to one-and-a-half times the normal luggage charges. The extra baggage, as per the norms, has to be put up in the luggage bogie attached to the train.

However, careless passengers should be ready to shell out six times the stipulated luggage allowance if they are caught breaking the rule.

If a passenger is found travelling with un-booked luggage weighing more than the free allowance, the excess weight will be charged six times the luggage rate. The move is to ensure passenger convenience and address the issue of cramped compartments,

– Ved Prakash, Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, told the press.

The officials have decided to carry out surprise checks in trains, especially from June 1 to June 6, to check whether or not this rule is being followed.

According to railways officials, other than the weight of the luggage, passengers have to make sure that personal luggage meant for carrying in bogies, be it trunks, suitcases or boxes meet the specified dimensions of 100cm (length) x 60cm (breadth) x 25cm (height). In case the boxes, trunks and suitcases are larger than the given dimensions, they have to be duly booked at the parcel office and then put up in luggage bogies.