Indian Railways to Launch 'Ghar se Ghar Tak' Door-to-Door Parcel Service
Indian Railways is launching 'Ghar se Ghar Tak,' a door-to-door parcel service in 8 cities via the Rail Parcel app for seamless logistics.
Indian Railways is preparing to revolutionize the logistics sector with the introduction of its upcoming door-to-door parcel delivery service, branded as 'Ghar se Ghar Tak.' Designed to streamline the movement of goods, this new service aims to bridge the gap between railway transport and the end consumer's doorstep, making shipping as simple as possible.
Currently in its beta testing phase under the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), the service will function as a digital marketplace. It will connect senders directly with private logistics providers through the dedicated 'Rail Parcel' mobile application.
A Seamless Three-Leg Delivery Model
To ensure maximum efficiency, the 'Ghar se Ghar Tak' service will operate using a specialized three-leg logistics process:
- First-Mile Collection: Private logistics partners will handle the collection of goods directly from the sender's doorstep.
- Middle-Mile Transport: Indian Railways will manage the core transport of the goods via the national rail network.
- Last-Mile Delivery: Once the shipment reaches its destination station, private partners will complete the final leg of the journey to the recipient's exact address.
Smart Booking and Real-Time Tracking
The 'Rail Parcel' app is designed for user convenience and complete transparency. Customers can book their shipments up to 15 days in advance of a train's scheduled departure, though all bookings must be finalized at least one day prior to the journey. To maintain operational efficiency, logistics partners are required to deliver consignments to railway staff at least one hour before the train departs.
For enhanced security and peace of mind, every shipment will be assigned a 10-digit Progressive Reference Record (PRR) number, allowing users to track their parcels in real-time throughout the entire transit process.
What Items Can You Ship?
The service is highly versatile, catering to various consumer and business needs by covering six distinct categories of items. This includes:
- Perishables: Such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Non-Perishables: Including machinery, furniture, tools, electronic items, and even two-wheelers.
Important: The transport of explosives, inflammable materials, illegal goods, or any other prohibited items is strictly forbidden under this service.
Transparent Costs and Initial Cities
A key feature of the 'Rail Parcel' app is its transparent pricing structure. The app will provide a clear breakdown of all costs, displaying the railway transportation charges separately from the pickup and delivery fees charged by the private logistics providers.
Regarding cancellations, if a booking is cancelled before the pickup occurs, the railway freight will be refunded in full, subject to a small ₹10 clerkage fee. Refunds for the pickup and delivery service portions will be handled according to the specific policies of the logistics provider involved.
The initial rollout of the 'Ghar se Ghar Tak' service will be limited to eight major cities across India:
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Kolkata
- Chennai
- Ahmedabad
- Hyderabad
- Bengaluru
- Pune
While the beta testing is currently underway, an official launch date for the general public has yet to be announced.