The Hindu Business Line : Rlys ban on `via-booking' hits parcel service users

THOUSANDS of users of the Indian Railways' parcel service are now unable to book shipments to many places after the transporter stopped accepting parcels between destinations not connected directly by trains.

The transportation and marketing systems of thousands of small farmers and traders are the worst hit as they depend on the Railways' wide network to reach distant markets.

Until recently, the Railways allowed "via-booking" or sending parcels between destinations by switching trains midway on a single ticket. For example, a farmer in Valsad in Gujarat could book a consignment of chikkoos to Jaisalmer via Jaipur since there is no direct train from Valsad to Jaisalmer.

The Railway Board issued a circular on March 27 banning such parcel booking. Now the farmer has to get a separate booking, usually through an agent, done from Jaipur to switch the fruits to a Jaisalmer-bound train.

People such as the chilli farmers of Nandurbar, chikkoo farmers of Valsad, grape exporters of Nashik, apple and cherry traders of Kalka, betel leaf farmers of Kelva and machine-parts makers of Delhi would now have to spend more money and time to parcel their goods to places unconnected by direct trains.

While the Railways has become choosy in carrying parcels, the affected farmers and traders are seething. Says Mr Sanjay Kotecha, a betel leaf commission agent in Kelva who depends on "via-booking" to send the chewing leaves to small centres in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar, his main markets, "They just stopped it one fine day without even giving us notice. The new arrangement will increase the cost of our goods, as we will have to hire more agents." A Railways official admitted that thousands of people were indeed affected by the new order. He, however, defended the order: "Trains are getting delayed because the heavy traffic has increased loading-and-unloading activity at several stations. Incidentally, we have also banned loading and unloading goods at stations where a train halts for less than five minutes. After parcel rates were reduced in the last Budget, traffic has really burgeoned."

In his last Budget, the Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, had slashed parcel rates on select routes and commodities by anywhere between 8 per cent and 46 per cent. He also reduced the number of categories from seven to four — Scale R on Rajdhani Express, Scale P or premium service on select mail and express trains, Scale S or standard service on other mails and express trains and Scale E or economy service on ordinary passenger trains.

The Kelva farmers asked Mr Ram Naik, who represents them in Parliament, to help lobby with the Railways to revoke the ban. Mr Naik told Business Line that he had spoken to the Railways Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, and the Railway Board Chairman, who had promised to look into the matter.

The Railway official said, however, until the board issues fresh instructions the ban would stay.