Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service: South Central Railway launches first parcel train
To provide seamless movement of parcels, Indian Railways, and India Posts have officially launched their joint parcel service – Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service. In this context, the South Central Railway (SCR) has commenced its first Parcel Train Service under Joint Parcel Product (JPP) concept namely ‘Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service’.
The parcel train departed from Kacheguda railway station and will reach Hazrat Nizamuddin station. It is carrying parcel consignments including 15 tonnes of Cadbury chocolates from Renigunta.
In a similar incident, the Delhi division of the Northern Railways also commenced Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service from ICOD Okhla on Thursday.
This is an initiative of a partnership between Indian Railways and India Posts to provide smooth logistics for the services sector in the country. It aims at providing door-to-door parcel service for parcel customers.
A pilot weekly service was launched on March 31, 2022, from Surat to Varanasi by attaching a VPU to Tapti Ganga Express. Later, in the Union Budget 2022-23, the Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service was first announced. At present, the Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service is plying on four routes – Delhi to Kolkata, Bangalore to Guwahati, Surat to Muzaffarpur, and Hyderabad to Hazrat Nizamuddin.
The highlights of ‘Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service’ are (a)Pick-up and delivery at customer premises, (b) Palletization -Transportation through covered and sealed boxes, (c) Semi-mechanized handling, (d) Timetabled service, (e) Insurance at 0.05 percent of the declared value of the cargo for loss, (f) damage and deterioration, and (g) Integrated Parcel Way Bill.
Both railways and India Posts have upgraded their infrastructure such as tools, machinery and handling equipment, and storage space for optimum use. It also develops specially designed Fold type boxes, Envelope boxes, Mesh type boxes, and Bubble Guard boxes made up of aluminum and lightweight material.
