Goyal indicates customers to get compensation for delayed freight delivery

New Delhi, January 18

Just like IRCTC pays compensation for delays in its Tejas trains, railways' freight customers could soon be compensated for late arrival of their goods, Railway minister Piyush Goyal indicated on Saturday, demanding a commitment of timely delivery.

Speaking at the foundation day of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited, Goyal said it should make a commitment to its customers with a timetable for its freight trains.

"Just like the Tejas trains have done in Delhi-Lucknow and Mumbai-Ahmedabad, we should be willing to give a commitment of timely delivery, penalising ourselves if we are delayed and insist on incentives if we do a good job.”

"Let's work on an incentive, penalty model even for our customers. I would urge the Railway Board to discuss this even on a more regular basis even with our existing freight traffic. Currently, freight is getting a very step-motherly treatment," Goyal said.

For the first time in railways, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has devised a plan whereby it pays a compensation of Rs 100 in case its Tejas train during its run is delayed by more than an hour and Rs 250 in case of a delay of more than two hours to every passenger.

Goyal also said the Indian Railways should utilise the experience of DFCCIL EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) expertise for future IR projects.

He also said the railways should have a separate track for freight and for passengers for faster movement and run freight trains in convoys for maximum utilisation of the path and increasing the average speed of the freight trains.

The minister congratulated team DFCCIL for completing 500 km and exhorted them to achieve the goal of 991 km by March 2020.

"DFC has the impact to transform railway sector," he said. PTI