Railways to allow e-commerce consignments on EMU services in non-peak hours
22 Oct 2019
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Indian Railways has started a pilot project, allowing e-commerce consignments on its EMU services in non-peak hours. As a part of innovative pilot project, EMU services from Sealdah to Dankuni (suburban services managed by Eastern Railway) started carrying consignment of Amazon.
The pilot project is initially for a period of three months where total seven tonnes of consignment per day has been allowed to be carried. The rate chargeable is that of luggage rate (Scale L – highest scale), ie, Rs5,537 per day. This pilot project of booking consignments in EMU service is the first of its kind in Indian Railways.
The consignment is allowed to be carried in vendor compartment along with other vendors in non-peak hours (ie, 11.00 hrs to 16.00 hrs.), thus causing no disruption/inconvenience to the existing system.
This project will benefit both Railways and e-commerce company Amazon. Railway will be benefited through generation of revenue without putting any additional stress or burden on existing system whereas Amazon will be benefited through reduced transit time.
The route, viz, Sealdah to Dankuni was preferred by Amazon for quick movement of their consignment to the existing facility at Dankuni. Depending on the success of the pilot project, other routes may also be taken up by Amazon. Other e-commerce companies may also be interested.
