The Hindu Business Line : Railways readies norms for terminal access to container operators

New Delhi June 22 Private container operators will, henceforth, be able to use the terminal facilities of the Indian Railways, with the latter firming up its procedures and rates for access to its good sheds, sidings and unused tracks.

These operators would have to pay terminal access charges of Rs 34,000 per rake per terminal. The terminal could be a goods shed, or siding or unused track.

Additionally, the operators would have pay detention and ground handling charges on a per hour per rake basis if they use the terminals beyond the allowed free time limit.

However, several container operators, requesting anonymity, told Business Line that the charges are high and conditions very stringent. "The charges are significantly higher than what the Railways had indicated to us," said an official.

DETENTION CHARGE

For example, if a container operator has to load or unload containers from a rake, the operator is required to do the job within seven hours.

Beyond that , they would have to pay detention charges of Rs 3,375 per hour for each train (irrespective of the number of wagons per train).

Additionally, the zonal railways have been allowed to notify higher detention charge of up to six times the above rates for those container operators who take excessive time on the terminal or do so repeatedly. "This means the container operators could be asked to pay detention charges of over Rs 20,000 per hour," point out officials.

GROUND USAGE CHARGE

Similarly, for using the ground to handle a container train (to do jobs such as chassis stuffing, etc.,) the operators would be allowed another 12 hours beyond which they would be levied penalties.

The penalties, which are imposed on a per hour per rake basis, keep increasing with every subsequent day (Rs 2,700 for the first day, Rs 4,050 for the second, Rs 5,400 for the third, Rs 6,750 for the fourth day, Rs 8,100 for the fifth and Rs 16,200 for the sixth day onwards).

PROCEDURE

Based on demands from container operators, the zonal railways would have to identify specific rail terminals where there is available capacity. These terminals would then be notified as container rail terminal.

The terminals would be for common use of all operators— they have to book the terminal depending on availability.

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