PIB News Update: Indian Railways’ parcel services are geared towards providing transportation for small consignments, over a vast network of stations. Small businesses and traders (especially in smaller cities and towns) have been using these services for transportation of their merchandise, etc, from bigger cities and production centres to the place of their business in a fast, reliable and cheap manner. Common man also uses these services for transportation of house-hold goods, furniture, two-wheelers, etc – for which parcel services are the only convenient mode of transportation.
The charging of Parcels is only on the basis of weight and volume, and not on the basis of type of commodity.
Modernization of Parcel Management System:
The computerization of parcel management system is being extended from 84 locations to additional 143 locations in phase-II and 523 locations in phase –III. This will bring following enhanced features in parcel system:
- Enhanced user friendly interface for public website of Parcel Management System on www.parcel.indianrail.gov.in.
- Provision of 120 days advance booking of parcel space has been enabled in PMS.
- Showing availability of parcel space on the online e-forwarding note module on PMS website.
- Generation of forwarding note online by registered customers with fare estimate.
- Booking of parcel/luggage at parcel office at stations through computerized counters and automatic capturing of weight through electronic weighment of consignment.
- Barcoding on each consignment for tracking of parcel o Status updation of packages through GPRS network transmission of data from hand held mobile devices through scanning of barcodes.
- SMS to customers (sender and receiver) at each stage from parcel booking, loading, unloading to delivery on registered mobile given at the time of booking.
- Tracking of packages through parcel website www.parcel.indianrail.gov.in o Mobile application on Android platform for customers o New Android based application to enable feeding of Loading/ unloading and revenue data from non-PMS stations dealing with parcel traffic.
- FSLA (Freight System Ledger Accounting) module for online preparation of manifest for registered newspaper and magazine.
- Lease module for long term/ short term parcel lease holders for preparation of online manifest and registration of lease holders
- Online GSTN verification of the sender through GSTN portal at the time of booking.
In order to undertake further modernization/revamp of Parcel Management System, as per the directions of Railway Board, M/s QCI has been engaged to study the system and to suggest further improvements based on the customer feedback and the latest trends in this sector.