Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 28: Indian Railways will soon launch a door-to-door parcel service across eight major cities. The plan follows what the report describes as a successful pilot run. Customers will book through the Rail Parcel App, branded Ghar se Ghar Tak. The service will start in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune.
The move marks a shift from the railways’ traditional station-based parcel business. Today, customers usually carry consignments to counters and complete paperwork. The new model aims to bring that process to their doorstep. These eight cities are major trade, industrial and consumption hubs. That gives the service a large potential customer base at launch. It remains a planned rollout, and route availability is yet to be detailed.
The operating model splits work across partners. Logistics partners will handle first-mile pickup and last-mile delivery. The railways will carry consignments between stations, covering the middle mile. Partners may also offer packaging and other value-added services. This lets the railways use its vast network without running a delivery fleet. But smooth handovers between partners and station staff will be critical.
The app will work as a digital marketplace linking customers with selected logistics providers. Users can book consignments and pay online. They will no longer need to visit railway premises or fill conventional forms. This could widen access for individuals, small businesses and e-commerce sellers. Details on tracking, insurance or delivery guarantees have not been reported.
Bookings will open 15 days before scheduled train departure, a senior official told ET. Customers can book until one day before departure. Logistics partners can hand over parcels to railway staff up to an hour before departure. These deadlines help the railways plan loading and consolidate shipments. Yet aligning doorstep pickups with fixed train timings will test execution.
Cancellation terms are relatively simple. Cancel before pickup, and rail freight is refunded after a ₹10 clerkage deduction. Pickup and delivery charges, however, follow each logistics provider’s own refund policy. So customers may not recover every rupee paid. These terms will be shared at the time of booking. Clear pricing will be key to winning customer trust.
Separately, the Railway Board has cut round-trip prices for parcel coaches. The circular came earlier this month, ahead of the Diwali-Christmas festive season. Parcel aggregators can now book a round trip for 1.5 times the one-way fare. Two separate one-way trips would cost twice the fare. That makes the new formula 25% cheaper on combined freight. The discount applies only to these round-trip coach bookings, not all parcels.
Road-based logistics networks remain the railways’ main competition. Rail may suit consolidated intercity shipments, though single-parcel economics may differ. Success will hinge on reliability, coverage and the cost of pickup and delivery. If execution holds, the railways could turn its network into a modern parcel business.
