Indian Railways to fine passengers carrying excess baggage six times the luggage rate

New Delhi: Just like air travel, now beware of carrying excess luggage while travelling in trains, as well. As a result of numerous complaints regarding excess baggage being towed into train compartments, Indian Railways has decided to strictly enforce its over-three-decades-old baggage allowance rules, which will see passengers paying up to six times the stipulated amount as penalty, if caught travelling with overweight luggage, an official said on Tuesday. According to the prescribed norms, a sleeper class and a second class passenger can carry luggage weighing 40 kilograms and 35 kilograms, respectively, without paying any extra money and a maximum of 80 kilograms and 70 kilograms, respectively, by paying for the excess luggage at the parcel office. The excess luggage would have to be put in the luggage van. [caption id=“attachment_4450191” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of a train. AFP[/caption] “The rules were already in place, we are just enforcing them strictly now. Passengers are allowed to book and carry excess luggage in the luggage van, up to the maximum limit, on the payment of a fee equivalent to one-and-a-half times the luggage rate. “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 of information and publicity of the Railway Board, said. Officials said unlike at airports, where the luggage of each passenger is weighed, the railways will carry out random checks among passengers. For example, if a passenger is travelling 500 kilometres with luggage weighing 80 kg in the sleeper class, he can book his excess baggage of 40 kilograms for Rs 109 in the luggage van. However, if he fails to do so and is caught with the excess luggage, he will end up paying a penalty of Rs 654. Similarly, an AC first class passenger can carry 70 kilograms of luggage for free and a maximum of 150 kilograms after paying a fee for the excess 80 kilograms. An AC two-tier passenger can carry 50 kilograms of luggage for free and a maximum of 100 kilograms by paying a fee for the excess 50 kilograms. The railways will also ensure that trunks, suitcases and boxes adhere to the prescribed measurements of 100 cm x 60 cm x 25 cm (length, breadth, height) for personal luggage to be carried in the compartments. If the trunks, suitcases and boxes exceed any one of the dimensions, those would have to be booked and carried in the luggage van, Prakash said. The national transporter has launched a special drive (1-6 June) across all its zones to enforce the rules.