Indian Railways Booking Procedures PDF

11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING CHAPTER IX BOOKING, CONVEYANCE AND DELIVERY OF PARCELS TRAFFIC 901. Forwarding notes.—There are four kind...

11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING CHAPTER IX BOOKING, CONVEYANCE AND DELIVERY OF PARCELS TRAFFIC 901. Forwarding notes.—There are four kinds of forwarding notes, as shown below, which are in use for the booking of parcels and goods traffic on the Indian Railways. These forms have been approved by the Central Government in accordance with section 64 of the Railways Act— (i) forwarding note for dangerous goods; (ii) forwarding note for animals or general merchandise other than dangerous goods; (iii) forwarding note for explosives tendered by Defence Services, (iv) General Forwarding Note. 902. Execution of forwarding notes.—(a) When parcels tendered for booking contain articles of any of the following categories, they must be accompanied by a forwarding note in the appropriate form, duly executed by the sender or his authorized agent:— (i) articles to be carried at owner's risk rate; (ii) articles of a perishable nature; (iii) articles mentioned in Part I of Schedule II of the Railways (Extent of Monetary Liability and Presumption of Percentage Charge) Rules 1990: (iv) articles not packed in accordance with the prescribed conditions or articles in a defective condition (v) explosives and other dangerous goods. (b) Under Section 64 of the Railways Act.—(1) Every person entrusting any goods to a railway administration for carriage shall execute a forwarding note in such form as may be specified by the Central Government: Provided that no forwarding note shall be executed in the case of such goods as may be prescribed. (2) The consignor shall be responsible for the correctness of the particulars furnished by him in the forwarding note. (3) The consignor shall indemnity the railway administration against any damage suffered by it by reason of the incorrectness or incompleteness of the particulars in the forwarding note." (c) Parcels containing articles other than those mentioned above should be accompanied by a parcels declaration note, duly filled in by the sender or his authorized agent, in the form appearing in the I.R.C.A. Coaching Tariff 903. Preservation of forwarding notes.—The forwarding note is a very important document in as much as it forms the basis of contract between the consignor and the railway administration and should, therefore, be carefully preserved. It should not be sent away from the station, except when required for production in a court of law, or when called for by Accounts, Audit or Traffic Officers, in which case a certified true copy thereof should be kept as station record while the original is away. 904. General forwarding note for coaching traffic.—(a) In order to facilitate the booking of regular traffic at owner's risk rate, a general forwarding note has been prescribed and its specimen appears in the I.R.C.A. Coaching Tariff. After execution by the sender in the presence of the Station Master, the general forwarding note must be approved by the Divisional Commercial Superintendent. It will be prepared in three copies of which one copy will be given to the sender, one will be retained by the Station Master and the third copy will be kept in the Divisional Office. A general forwarding note remains valid for a period of six months from the date of its execution. The instructions for the preservation of forwarding notes also apply to the preservation of general forwarding notes. (b) A merchant who has executed a general forwarding note, can despatch by rail individual consignments without tendering a separate forwarding note for each consignment but particulars of each consignment must be https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 1/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING given in the parcels declaration note which should be presented at the time of booking. (c) If a sender has to dispatch any parcel which is defectively packed or is in a defective condition, a separate forwarding note for each such consignment must be obtained even if a general forwarding note has been executed. Similarly, if a parcel contains any excepted articles, explosives or other dangerous goods or articles of a perishable nature required to be booked at railway risk rate, the sender or his agent must execute an appropriate forwarding note for such parcels. (d) A list of merchants who have executed general forwarding notes should be hung up in the parcels office for the guidance of the staff. The serial number of the general forwarding note should be entered in the railway receipt as well as in other foils of the way-bill. 905. Filling in forms of forwarding notes by consignor.—While the station staff must give every assistance to the consignors in filling up the forwarding note forms, these forms must not be filled in by the railway staff on behalf of a consignor. All entries in the form must be filled in ink by the consignor who must properly sign and not merely initial the forwarding note. Similarly, additions and alterations made in the entries must also be signed in full by the consignor. In the case of illiterate persons, their left hand thumb impression should be obtained in token of their acceptance of the correctness of the details entered in the forwarding note, and the name of the person written in English below the thumb impression. In the case of consignments comprising of more than one article, the number, description and weight of packages of each kind must be separately specified in the forwarding note, thus— Qtls. Kgs. One wooden case sealed............................... 0 30 Two steel trunks black and locked...................1 10 Three bales woollen yarn................................3 00 906. Examination of entries in forwarding notes.—The forwarding note tendered by the consignor should be carefully examined to see that the appropriate form of forwarding note has been executed and that the particulars required to be filled in have been correctly entered. The entries regarding packing, election of railway risk rate, where necessary, election of route, declaration of value in the case of animals and excepted articles should be specifically scrutinized. If any one of the entries is not properly filled in, the consignor must be asked to fill the entries properly. The staff are forbidden to pass any remarks on the forwarding note in their own handwriting in regard to improper packing or defective condition of goods, as remarks, which have not been recorded by the sender or his agent, do not afford any protection to the railway in law courts with regard to damage, deterioration or loss of parcels and goods in transit 907. Examination of parcels.—The careful checking of parcels is the first essential in order to limit the liability of the railway by obtaining cogent and intelligent remarks on the forwarding note with regard to defective packing, deteriorated or damaged condition of contents of parcels, etc. It is also necessary to see that the parcels tendered for despatch correspond with the entries in the forwarding note, and that they are packed according to packing conditions laid down in The Coaching Tariff, and clearly addressed. When a consignment is defectively packed, or is not packed in accordance with the prescribed packing conditions, or is in a defective condition, the nature of defect should be brought to the notice of the sender or his agent and suitable remarks obtained from him in the forwarding note. These remarks should be copied out, verbatim, on all the foils of the waybill. The staff are forbidden to pass any remarks on the parcel way-bills that have not been recorded by the consignor on the forwarding note. 908. Packing of parcels.—All parcels must be securely packed in boxes, rates, trunks, strong baskets or strong gunny, etc., so as to withstand the strain of handling and transferring incidental to their transportation by rail. For certain commodities special packing conditions have been prescribed in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff. When a parcel tendered for despatch is not packed according to the prescribed packing conditions or is insecurely fastened or packed, or shows signs of leakage, or is liable to damage or deterioration in transit, the exact defect in packing or the nature of the defective condition, etc. should be recorded by the sender or his authorized agent. Vague remarks, like, 'consignment not properly packed' should not be accepted, but the actual defect in packing or condition of articles, such as, 'melons overripe, smelling', 'lids loose, contents leaking', 'tins enclosed in wooden boxes without dunnage on all sides', should be obtained on the forwarding note. In respect of certain commodities, e. g., ghee, ice, asafoetida, etc. the special packing conditions prescribed in the Coaching Tariff are compulsory. Parcels of such commodities should not be accepted for booking unless the prescribed packing conditions are complied with, except when otherwise specially authorized. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 2/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING 909. Addressing of parcels.—(a) Parcels tendered for despatch must in all cases be fully, clearly and legibly addressed in English or Hindi showing the name of the consignor/consignee, his full address and station of destination and the railway. It is in the interest of the consignor to write his name and full address on each package so that the Station Master should be able to communicate with him in case of non-delivery. One or two slips indicating the names and full addresses of the consignor and consignee should also be placed inside each package by the sender for identification and for restoring packages to the rightful owner, when marks on the packages get mutilated due to rain or labels drop off during transit. (b) Parcels addressed to towns where there is more than one railway station or delivery office, should clearly show the place at which delivery is to be effected. (c) All old marks and addresses appearing on any package must be obliterated by the sender. 910. Marking of parcels by railway staff.—(a) In addition 10 marking by the consignor, each package must be marked by the railway staff showing the code initials of the forwarding station, parcel way-bill number, number of packages prefixed "with the letter 'P' and code initials of the destination station. In the case of valuable packages, the destination station's name should be shown in full in block capitals in addition to code initials, as under— 158801 BCT..................................................................DLI (DELHI) P 15 BCT is the code initial of the booking station, 158801 is the parcel way-bill number, 'P' indicates 'Parcel', 15 denotes the number of packages and 'DLI' is the code initials of the destination station. (b) In the case of baskets of betel leaves, vegetables, cut flowers, etc. which cannot be durably marked in the ordinary manner, the sender must provide a leather, metal, wooden or cardboard label or a gunny strip firmly secured to each package at the forwarding station for the purpose of writing railway marks. Bundles of silk cloth, blankets, cumblies must have a patch of white cloth sewn on them by the senders for railway marking. Packages which are not provided with such lables by the sender, should not be accepted for booking. (c) Marking should be done with standard making ink, which should be bright, durable and waterproof and not with bazar colours which give faint and feeble impression. (d) In the case of fish consignments, consignors should be made to provide tinplate of size 5 x 4 cm. for providing railway marks and railway administration should provide white paint and ISI standard ink for railway markings. Both the railway and private marks must be shown on the PW. Bill and the Railway Receipt. 911. Marking of parcels consigned in full vehicle loads and not requiring transshipment.—10 percent of the packages forming such consignments should be marked according to the instructions given in the preceding Para, and three or four of the marked packages must be placed at each door of the vehicle. 912. Risk conditions.—(a) Where in respect of a commodity both owner's risk rate and railway risk rate are available, the traffic should be booked at owner's risk rate unless the sender specifically elects the railway risk rate by filling the appropriate column in the forwarding note. When the sender elects the railway risk rate, he must be given a certificate in the form prescribed in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff, showing that the consignment has been booked at railway risk rate. In such cases, the following endorsement will be made on all the copies of the parcel way-bill including the railway receipt:— "Railway risk rate elected" (b) When alternative railway risk and owner's risk rates are available, even though the packing may be defective or the goods may be in defective conditions, the sender is free to elect the railway risk rate. In such a case, in addition to the remarks regarding packing, etc., the prescribed remarks should be made on the parcel way-bill and railway receipt, namely, "Railway risk rate elected". On the railway receipt the remarks regarding defective packing or defective condition of the consignment should be copied out. (c) When only railway risk rate is quoted and there is no alternative owner's risk rate, the consignment will be booked at railway, risk rate with the remarks regarding defective packing or defective condition, if any, copied out https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 3/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING on the railway receipt and other foils of parcel way-bill. (d) Under Section 63 of the Railways Act.—"(1) Where any goods are entrusted to a railway administration for carriage, such carriage shall, except where owner's risk rate is applicable in respect of such goods, be at railway risk rate. (2) Any goods, for which owner's risk rate and railway risk rate are in force, maybe entrusted for carriage at either of the rules and if no rate is opted, the goods shall be deemed to have been entrusted at owner's risk rate". 913. Charging of parcels traffic—(a) Rates and conditions for the carriage of parcels traffic appear in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff and individual railway's Coaching Tariff/Guide which must be carefully consulted at the time of booking. (b) Parcels are charged either by weight or by measurement, whichever gives the greater charge. Detailed instructions regarding the method of measurement, conversion of result of measurement into weight, and levy of charges are given in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff. 914. Weighment of parcels.-All parcels should be weighed on the weighing machine in the presence of the sender or his authorized agent If the weighing machine is out of order, parcels should be charged on the weight declared by the sender and a remark passed on all foils of the parcel way-bill as under— "Weighing machine out of order. Sender's weight accepted. Destination to weigh before delivery add recover undercharges due". In the case of vehicle loads, these should be weighed on a weighbridge. If a weighbridge is not provided at the booking station, arrangements should be made to have the vehicles weighed at the first weighbridge station enroute. In such cases, vehicles should be labeled to destination but booked in the vehicle summary to stop at the weighbridge station. The result of weighment will be recorded on the seal lables and also communicated to the destination station and its Traffic Accounts office by wire and to the forwarding station by an urgent train message. 915. Different way-bills for 'To-pay', 'Paid', 'local' and 'through' traffic—'To-pay' parcel way-bill Forms Com./P-35 (local) and Com./P-37 (through) are printed on white paper and 'Paid' parcel way-bill Forms Com./P- 34 (local) and Com./P-36 (through) are printed on pink paper. In the case of both 'Paid' and To-Pay' waybills intended for through bookings, the letter 'F' is printed in bold type at the right hand top corner. 'Paid' parcel way-bills used in through and local-bookings are in sets of four foils, viz., Record, Receipt, Accounts and Guard, while 'To-pay' parcel way-bills are in sets of three foils, viz., Record, Receipt and Guard. All parcel way-bill forms are machine-numbered with the letter 'Paid' prefixed to the number and supplied to stations in bound books to be written by carbon process. The Receipt foil which is given to the owner has a hatching of the issuing railway on the face of it It is forwarded by the consignor to the consignee to enable the latter to take delivery of the parcels at destination. The 'Guard' foil is handed over to the Guard and accompanies the consignment to destination. The 'Record' foil is kept at the station and the 'Accounts' foil (in the case of 'Paid' waybills) submitted to the Traffic Accounts Office at the end of the month. The form of way-bill to be used for, together with rules and conditions applicable to, India-Pakistan traffic, and the returns to be submitted by the border stations in connection therewith, have been detailed in the I.R.C.A. publication, "Fundamental and subsidiary rules for interchange of traffic between India and Pakistan" (see chapter XXX). 916. Custody of parcel way-bill books.—Parcel way-bill books on receipt at station should be examined in the manner indicated in Para 227 and entered in the stock book for money value books, and kept in the custody of the Station Master or Chief/Head Parcel Clerk. The books should be brought in use in consecutive order, and except at very large stations for which special arrangements are made, more than one book should not be used at the same time. The books in use should be kept in safe custody by the Parcel Clerk on duty, and taken out only when required for use. Issue of blank books to Parcel Clerks will be made on production of satisfactory evidence that the book in use has been completed or is nearing completion. The completed books will be returned without delay to the Station Master or Chief/Head Parcel Clerk who will be responsible for their custody. 917. Preparation of way-bills.—(a) Way-bills should neatly written out by carbon process and signed in full by the issuing clerk, care being taken to get clear and legible impressions in all the foils. The name of the forwarding https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 4/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING station should be stamped on each foil except in cases where the name of the forwarding station is printed on the way-bills themselves, and the destination station should be written in full block letters. When articles referred to in para 902 are booked, full description of the contents should be given on the way-bill. The number of packages should be recorded both in figures and in words. Out-Agency, city booking agency, percentage, Paid-on, etc. charges should, in all cases, be shown separately on waybills. The totals of the weight and amount columns should be distantly entered on every way-bill and checked before the way-bill is dispatched from the station. When freight is paid by a credit note, the number and date thereof should be quoted on the way bill. (b) The dimensions of cages containing birds, fowls and small animals, and of other articles chargeable at parcel rate by measurement, must be noted on the way-bill. When parcels are charged by measurement, the actual weight as also the weight found on measurement must be on way-bills. (c) When parcels are booked under a concession certificate, the number of the concession certificate with date and designation of the issuing officer should be entered on the way-bill. Similarly, when empties are returned to the booking station at reduced rates, the particulars of the original booking must be given on the way-bill. Concession certificates will be submitted to the Traffic Accounts Office along with the relevant returns. (d) Remarks regarding selection of dearer route by the sender or his authorized agent should invariably be endorsed on all foils of way-bills. (e) Section 65, of the Railways Act—(1) A railway administration shall.— (a) in a case where the goods are to be loaded by a person entrusting such goods, on the completion of such loading, or (b) in any other case, on the acceptance of the goods by it, issue a railway receipt in such form as may be specified by the Central Government. (2) A railway receipt shall be prima-facie evidence of the weight and the number of packages stated therein: Provided that in the case of a consignment in wagon-load or train-load and the weight or the number of packages is not checked by a railway servant thorised in this behalf and a statement to that effect is recorded in such railway receipt by him, the burden of proving the weight or, as the case may be, the number of packages stated therein, shall lie on the consignor, the consignee or the endorsee." Under Section 74 of the Railways Act, the property in the consignment covered by a railway receipt shall pass to the consignee or the endorsee, as the case may be, on the delivery of such railway receipt to him and he shall have all the rights and liabilities of the Consignor." (f) The following important instructions have been printed on the back of Railway-Receipt for the guidance of the party:— 1. The Railway Receipt given by the Railway for the articles delivered for carriage must be given up at destination by the consignee to the Railway, otherwise the Railway may refuse to deliver the consignment. The signature of consignee or his agent in the delivery book at destination shall be evidence of delivery. If the consignee does not himself attend to take delivery, he must endorse on the receipt a request for delivery to the person to whom he wishes delivery to be made. When delivery is made in good faith to a person, who presents the original Railway Receipt, the Railway Administration shall not be resrtonsile for wrong delivery either because such person is not legally entitled thereto or the endorsement is forged or otherwise defective. If the receipt is not presented, the delivery of the goods may, at the discretion of the Railway, be withheld until the person entitled in its opinion to receive them has given indemnity to the satisfaction of the Railways. 2. For any claim arising on this consignment to be valid, it must be submitted in writing sit-in six months from the date of entrustment of the goods. To assist in expeditious disposal of claims, claimants are advised to address the local official at the destination station, if authorised to receive notice of claims as specifically notified in Tariffs, circulars, etc., or to the Chief Commercial Superintendent of the Railway on which the destination station lies. Full particulars of booking viz; station from and to railway receipt number, date of booking and route should be specified. 3. The Railways have the right of re-measurement re-weighment, re-classification and re-calculation of rates and other charges and of collecting, before goods are delivered, any amount that may have been omitted or undercharged. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 5/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING 4. A railway receipt shall be prima facie evidence of the weight and the number of packages stated therein. Provided that in the case of a consignment in wagon-load or train-load and the weight or the number of packages is not checked by a railway servant authorised in this behalf, and a statement to that effect is recorded in such railway receipt by him, the burden of proving the weight or as the case maybe, the number of packages sated therein, shall lie on the consignor, the consignee or the endorsee. 5. Unless the consignor declares the value of any consignment and pays percentage charge on excess value as required by Railways (Extents of Monetary Liability and Prescription of Percentage Charge) Rules, 1990, the maximum limit of amount of monetary liability of railway administration for loss, destruction, damage, deterioration and non-delivery of the consignment shall not exceed:— (a) Rs. 100 per Kg in respect of consignments booked as personal -baggage. (b) Rs. 50 per Kg in respect of consignments other than animals and personal baggage. (c) Rs. 6000 per head in the case of elephants, Rs. 3000 per head in the case of horses, Rs. 800 per head in the case of mules, hormed cattle or Camel, Rs. 120 per head in the case of dogs, donkeys, goats, pigs, sheep or other animals or birds. 918. Parcels containing certain valuable articles mentioned in Part I of Schedule II of the Railway (Extent of Monetary Liability and prescription of Percentage charge) Rules 1990 to be booked separately.—A package or a parcel declared to contain such articles must be booked separately and not as part of consignment which includes ordinary goods. Detailed instructions for the booking and conveyance of such articles are given in the I.R.C.A. Coaching Tariff and Chapter XI of this Manual which should be carefully studied and acted upon by the staff. 919. Erasures on way-bills prohibited.—Entry once made on the way-bill should, under no circumstances, be erased. If a mistake has been made and a correction is necessary, the original entry should be neatly crossed through and a fresh entry made above it and signed in full by the person making the alteration, or a fresh way- bill should be issued, canceling the original one under the signature of the issuing clerk. Reasons for alterations or cancellations should be recorded and attested by the Station Master or the Chief/Head Parcel Clerk on duty. Once the 'Receipt' foil is detached from the set and issued, no subsequent correction should be made. 920. Booked route to be shown on the way-bills.—The instructions laid down in Para 814 for recording the booked route on luggage tickets will also apply in the case of way-bills issued for parcels. 921. Booking of intoxicating drugs and other contraband articles.—The rules, rates and conditions under which these articles are "accepted for conveyance by rail appear in the I.R.C.A. Coaching Tariff. Station Masters should see that these instructions are carefully followed by the staff entrusted with the booking of such traffic. 922. Booking of bicycles, tricycles, motor-cycles, etc.—Rules, rates and conditions regarding the carriage of bicycles, tricycles, motor-cycles, etc. are given in the I.R.C.A. Coaching tariff, which should be carefully consulted by the staff before booking such traffic. When an unpacked bicycles, tricycles, motor-cycle, etc. is tendered for booking, the Parcel Clerk should see by personal examination, the maker's trade name (e. g., 'Humber', 'Hercules', 'Royal Enfield'), number of cycle, motor-cycle, etc., its condition and detachable fittings, and ensure that these particulars are correctly entered on the forwarding note by the sender, and reproduced on all copies of the way-bill. In case a bicycle, motor-cycle, etc. presented for booking has no makers' trade name and number, the fact should be noted in the way-bill or luggage ticket and a certificate to this effect should be recorded by the sender on the forwarding note (see also Para 820). 923. Booking of carriages, motor-cars, etc.—Rules, rates and conditions under which carriages, motor-cars, etc. are accepted and carried by rail are given in the I.R.C.A. Coaching Tariff. This traffic when tendered for conveyance in vehicle loads by passenger train, should be booked underway-bill for booking of carriages, motor- cars, boats, etc. in form Com./P-40 (local paid), Com./P-42 (through paid) as the case may be. These way-bills are machine-numbered (letter 'M' being prefixed to the number) and are printed on pink paper. The letter 'F' is printed prominently on the top right hand corner in the case of way-bills used for booking of through traffic. The rules regarding indenting, checking, custody, issue and accountal of these forms are the same as are applicable to parcel way-bills. 924. Loading of carriages, motor-cars, etc. in trucks.—Carriages, motor-cars, etc., when loaded in trucks, https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 6/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING should be covered by tarpaulins firmly lashed to the sides and ends of trucks. The wheels of each carriage or motor-car should be sprigged or scotched either by the sliding bars provided in carriage trucks, or in their absence by wood scotches which the carriage and wagon staff should be asked to supply and fix. Every carriage truck, when loaded, should be examined before despatch by the Train Examiner who should issue a certificate that the vehicle is loaded within the moving dimensions, and that the load is firmly secured to prevent oscillation and displacement in transit. Unless the Train Examiner has examined the load and given the requisite certificate, the vehicle should not be sent out in the yard. A remark showing the number of carriages on motor-cars loaded in the truck should be made on the way-bill. 925. Wagon transfer register.—(a) Trucks, vehicles or wagons required to be loaded by consignor should, as soon as possible, be placed in position for loading. The date and time at which they are placed in position for loading, as also the date and time at which they are returned duly loaded, should be recorded, in the wagon transfer register in Form. Com./L-16. The signature of the consignor should be obtained against the entries in the wagon transfer register in token of his acceptance of the correctness of timings. When a consignor does not load a vehicle within the free time allowed, demurrage charges should be recovered at the rates laid down in the I.R.C.A. Coaching Tariff. (b) In the case of consignments required to be loaded by the railway through the agency of a contractor, a separate wagon transfer register should be maintained. (c) The above instructions should also be followed in recording the date and time of placing trucks, vehicles or wagons in position for unloading and their return when unloaded. 926. Outward 'Paid' parcel cash books.—(a) Separate cash books for outward 'Paid' parcels in Form Com./C- 4A for local traffic and Com./C-4B for through traffic should be maintained at all stations, city booking offices and out-agencies. These cash books have two foils for each page and are written by carbon process. The original is kept for record at the station and the carbon copy is submitted to the Traffic Accounts Office by the 2nd of the following month supported by the connected 'Accounts' foils of the way-bills. (b) The cash book for through outward 'Paid' parcels in a columnar form, giving columns for entering freight booked to each terminating Government railway and one column for showing freight booked to all non- Government railways. The freight charges will be posted in the column of the railway on which the traffic terminates, e. g., if a way-bill is issued from Delhi to Madras, the freight will be posted in the Southern Railway Column as the traffic is to terminate on that railway. At the end of each day, each vertical column should be totaled and the cross-total of the vertical totals entered in the column headed 'Total'. (c) Entries in the cash book for outward 'Paid' parcels should be in the order of the issue of way-bills, i.e., in the numerical sequence of the machine numbers. When any way-bill is cancelled, the 'Record' foil will be retained at the station and the remaining three foils will be sent to the Traffic Accounts Office along with the carbon copy of cash book. The machine numbers on the cancelled way-bills should be included in the cash book on their sequence with remarks 'cancelled' against them. (d) The total receipts for the day on account of the outward 'Paid' parcels will be carried into the daily trains cash- cum-summary book and posted against the distinct head 'Outward Paid parcels local' or 'Outward Paid parcels through', as the case may be. (e) The totals in the outward 'Paid' parcel cash books should be carried over, from day-to-day, as shown in the specimen appearing at Appendix IX/A. It should be certified at the end of the cash book for the last day of the month (i) that the total amount (paid) for the month as shown in 'the cash book has been taken to debit in the balance sheet under the head 'Outward Paid parcels local/Outward Paid parcels through', and (ii) that the P. W. Bills issued during the month fall within the machine numbers from........................ to........ (f) If there is no transaction on account of outward 'Paid' parcels for local and/or through traffic in any month at the station, a 'NIL' return for the month must be submitted to the Traffic Accounts Office on due date, recording therein the machine number of the last 'Paid' way-bill issued. 927 Booking of betel leaves, fish, vegetables etc. on fixed value way bills.— (a) In order to reduce work on documentation and accountal of parcels traffic, fixed value way-bills for booking of betel leaves, fish, vegetables etc. traffic will be printed and supplied to certain stations at which this traffic is heavy. The value of each way-bill will be printed on each foil with the caption 'Fixed value way-bill' on the top. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 7/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING The way-bill will be printed for different values ranging Rs. 20 to Rs. 80, the increase being in units of Rupee one, i. e., for Rs. 20. Rs. 21, Rs. 22 and so on. The stations to which these books are supplied will be notified by each individual Railway. (b) After working out the total charges due for a consignment of betel leaves the way-bill of the appropriate denomination should-be issued. At the end of the day, after (he ordinary way-bills have been entered in the outward 'Paid' parcels cash book, the commencing number, closing number, total number issued and the total amount collected for each value book during the day should be entered in the outward 'Paid' parcel cash book. In the case of through traffic, the total amount of each value will be posted in the appropriate column of the terminating railway as explained in Para 926. 928. Percentage charges collected in respect of certain valuable articles of Part I of Schedule II of the Railways (Extent of Monetary Liability and prescription of Percentage charge) Rules 1990.—Percentage charges collected in respect of such articles should be entered in the outward 'Paid' parcels cash book. The amount of percentage charges collected in a month should be taken to debit in the coaching balance sheet under a separate head 'Percentage charges', local or through, as the case may be. 929. Booking of newspaper under monthly accounts cum bill system.— (a) Newspaper firms having regular newspaper parcels traffic for booking by rail, may be granted the facility of paying freight charges through monthly bills on the weight carried to different stations. Firms wishing to avail of this facility will deposit with the railway administration a sum equivalent to two months average freight transaction by way of security in any of the following forms :- (i) a deposit in cash (this will not carry any interest) (ii) Government Securities at five percent below the market value (iii) deposit in National Savings Certificate (iv) a deposit in Post offices Savings bank account (v) a Bank guarantee This amount will be subject to revision when on later date it is found that the freight charges exceeded the deposit held (b) No PW Bill will be issued, but distribution list will be prepared separately for each train (c) Parcels will be tendered at the forwarding station not less than half an hour before the scheduled departure of train. Firm will prepare distribution list as shown in Appendix IXB in four copies for each train and deliver the station staff at any time not less than four hours before due departure of the train. The staff will check the parcels presented. Shortage or excess if any found will be entered in the original copy of the distribution list to be handed back to the representative of the firm once in a day duly signed by the staff together with the time of arrival of parcel after dispatch has been completed for the day. One copy will be handed over to the Guard. (d) If parcels are presented less than half an hour before the schedule departure of the train, the staff will give a remark on the distribution list "too late to check" and refuse it to the press. This will limit railways liability. (e) On remaining three copies freight will be shown, one copy will be kept for record, one will be sent to Accounts Office and one will be given to the party. (f) Test checking of weighment will be done by the railway representative in the firms for one week in each quarter commencing from January, April, July and October of each year. If parcel is despatched on five week days and for Saturday and Sunday separately, care being taken to avoid holidays during the weighment. These weighments during the weighment work will be carried out so as to make out two schedules—one schedule to cover despatch pertaining to issue of Monday to Saturday and other schedule for Sunday edition. Test weighment for Sunday edition will be carried out from 6 hours of Saturday to 6 hours of Sunday. The average weight arrived at during test week will form the basis for preparation of bills for the three months in the quarter concerned. A special test weighment will be conducted in the manner stated above at least five days prior to the start of the new system. It will form the basis of charge fill the regular quarterly test weighment due is conducted. Test weighment statements will be prepared in four copies. Two copies will be handed over to the station master, https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 8/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING one will be sent to the Divisional Railway Manager and one for firm. One copy will be sent by the station master to the Accounts Office along with Newspaper parcels statements prepared for the first month of the quarter for exercising necessary checks. Other copy will be retained by the station master for preparing returns for subsequent two months in the quarter. The test weighment statements will be signed by both the railway officials deputed for the purpose and the representative of the firm with a certificate that the test weighment was made and weights recorded in their presence. When special editions are proposed in the issue, the firm will communicate this fact to the Divisional Railway Manager and the station master the number of extra pages which would be printed in the special edition would be addressed to the station master who will calculate the weight chargeable on pro-rata basis in relation to weight/number of pages in the issue (g) News paper parcel will be labeled by the press showing (a) name of destination (b) number of copies (c) Consignees name (h) The News paper parcel along with a copy of distribution list will be handed over to the guard of the train who will deliver the parcels at the respective destination stations under acknowledgement of the staff concerned. When the News paper parcels are booked to stations reached via a junction, a separate distribution list in duplicate will be prepared by the forwarding station and given to the guard who will hand it over to the parcel clerk of the junction station under acknowledgement for onward transmission by the guard of the connecting train. At the last destination station shown in the distribution list, the guard will make over the list along with the packages to the parcel clerk and take his acknowledgement in the rough-journal.. (i) Stations receiving News paper parcel will enter them in the parcel delivery book and arrange delivery on the basis of the address printed on the label pasted on each bundle. The signature of the person 'taking delivery must invariably be obtained in the delivery book. The list will be kept for record for future reference. It may be inspected at anytime. (j) The total charges as worked out by the staff at the booking station on the list furnished by news paper firm will be posted daily in the "ledger accounts parcel book" for each firm separately as shown in Appendix IXC. At the end of each period the total weight booked and the amount due will be worked out and the total of all the three periods will be consolidated at the end of the month for each Newspaper firm separately. The total amount due from all the firms for News paper parcels booked during the month will be taken into debit in balance sheet of the month to which the transactions relate and will take credits for payments made If no payment has been made the amount will remain as outstanding. (k) The ledger accounts cum bill shall be prepared in three copies. One copy will be kept for record and two copies will be sent to the firm for payment. The firm will return one copy duly countersigned showing the date of payment. Then this copy along with distribution list received during the month will be sent as a return by the station master duly recorded particulars of the remittance of the payment made by the firm to the accounts office. (l) The monthly ledger accounts cum bill will be sent to the News paper firm not later than third of the following month to which it relates and payment to be made with in three days of its presentation The monthly ledger accounts cum bill, will be checked by the Accounts Office for raising any debit. (m) The total amounts due from all the firms for News paper parcels booked during the month will be consolidated in a form shown in Appendix—IX C I, and sending the balance sheet in support of amount shown as outstanding under the head "Booking of News paper under the-monthly ledger account system". 930. Booking and carriage of parcels containing dangerous goods.—It will be the personal responsibility of the Station Master to ensure that the rules and conditions laid down in the I.R.C.A. Red Tariff for booking and carriage of explosives and other dangerous goods are carefully complied with by the staff. Negligence to observe rules and safety precautions in loading, unloading, storage and conveyance of explosive and other dangerous goods, should be viewed seriously. Inspecting officials, while at stations should examine Parcel Clerks and Porters/labour employed for the handling of this traffic to test their knowledge of the subject https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 9/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING and to create an awareness in them for bestowing utmost care in the handling of explosives and other dangerous goods. A register should be opened at each station to obtain acknowledgement of the staff concerned in token of their having understood the rules and instructions issued from time to time in respect of explosives and other dangerous goods and to give an undertaking that the precautions required to be taken in dealing with such traffic will be rigidly observed. In case the Porters/labourers are illiterate, the Station Master and the Commercial Inspector should explain to them the implications and need for observance of the rules, and sign a certificate in the register in token of having done so. 931. Precautions for safe transit of arms and ammunition booked by licence-holders or Government departments.—(a) Consignments of small arms and ammunition consist of (i) small consignments and (ii) large consignments in bulk. (b) (i) All consignments of small arms and ammunition tendered for despatch MUST be kept properly secured under lock and key in the personal custody of the Station Master or Chief/Head Parcel Clerk, while awaiting despatch. Separate summaries must be prepared at the forwarding station for such consignments which should be handed over to the Guard in charge in the presence of Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force staff under signature. (ii) The Guard should load the consignments in cages provided in the brake van. The cages should be locked and the keys kept by the Guard. If a cage is not provided, the consignments should be loaded in that compartment of the brake van which is adjacent to the Guard's lobby. The compartment must be securely bolted and padlocked on both sides and the keys kept with the Guard. The Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force staff, must sign in the loading book that the consignment has been correctly loaded in their presence and the van has been locked on both sides by the Guard. The Guard should keep a watchful eye on the compartment in which arms and ammunition are loaded and also check on the run; at convenient stations, the condition of locks to ensure that they are intact. The Guard in barge of the train should hand over these consignments to his relief personally. At transshipping stations, if the charge of these consignments cannot be made over by the incoming Guard to the outgoing Guard, the former should hand over the consignments to the Station Master on duty or the Chief/ Head Parcel Clerk who will be responsible to see that the consignments are kept in safe custody. (iii) Intimation of dispatch of such consignments should be given by telegram by the sending and transshipping stations to the destination station including the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force staff to whom the telegram, on recaps, should be delivered at once. (iv) On arrival a; destination, the consignment must be handed over by the Guard to the Station Master or the Chief/Head Parcel Clerk, under signature, in the presence of Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force staff who should also sign in the unloading book and the Guard's rough journal. Immediately after unloading the consignments should be transferred to the godown or office which should be Keyed and key in personal custody of the Station Master or Chief/Head Parcel Clerk until delivery is effected. The person taking over the packages as also the Government Railway Police and Railway protection Force staff must carefully examine the packages and satisfy themselves that they have been correctly received, before giving signature in the unloading book and Guard's rough journal. (v) When such consignments remain unclaimed at destination, telegraphic intimation should be given at once to the consignor, consignee, Station Master and Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force of the forwarding and receiving stations, and the Divisional Commercial Superintendent and District Magistrate of the district in which the destination station is situated. (c) Large consignment of arms and ammunition should be dispatched in special van loads and each van must be sealed and secured with locks to be provided by the consignor. Station Masters should personally ensure that such vans are forwarded by the first suitable train and pushed onward from junction station by the first connecting passenger or mixed train. Advice of dispatch from the junction station must be sent to the next junction or destination station, as the case may be, by a telegram. In case of delay in delivery at destination, the instructions contained in Para (b) (v) should be followed. (d) At booking, transshipping and destination stations, the Railway Protection Force staff should keep guard over the consignments while in the custody of the railway. Vans containing arms and ammunition must not be placed in far off unprotected sidings. 932. Labeling of parcels.—Consignments of parcels accepted for booking should be labeled as follows:— https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 10/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING Traffic in small lots.—(i) 'Paste-on' and 'Tie-on' labels:— The instructions contained in Para 821 regarding labeling of luggage should also be observed in the case of consignments of parcels in small lots. 'Tie-on' and 'Paste-on' labels in Form Com./L-47 and Com./L-40 should, however, be used. These labels must be prepared in ink and not in pencil. (ii) Fragile goods' labels (Com./L-4) should be affixed to consignments of fragile goods which require careful handling in transit (iii) 'Non-inflammable films only' (Com./L-39) labels should be affixed to packages containing non-inflammable films. Labels should be pasted on die sides and not on the top of packages so that they can be readily seen. Traffic in vehicle loads—(i) Wagon seal labels (for coaching traffic) in Form Com./L-44 should be used in the case of parcels traffic in vehicle loads. (ii) Vehicle bracket labels for coaching traffic (other than perishables) in Form Com./L-35 which have diagonal cross superimposed in chocolate should be placed in brackets on both sloes of wagons loaded with non- perishables. (iii) Vehicle bracket labels for perishables in Form Com./L-37 which have diagonal cross superimposed in green, must be placed in brackets on both sides of wagons loaded with perishables. Good gum or glue should be used in pasting labels so that they do not drop off in handling during transit. Before affixing labels, old labels, if any, should be removed. 933. Dispatch of parcels.—Parcels must be dispatched as quickly as possible Parcels of a perishable nature, newspapers, and cinematograph films should, however, be dispatched by the first suitable train so that they may reach their destination the earliest. Individual railways have issued pamphlets containing instruction's for the clearance of parcels traffic, both local and through. The staff should carefully study these pamphlets and strictly act upon the instructions contained in them. 934. Preference in loading and clearance of perishable traffic—Perishable traffic should be given preference over other parcels traffic for loading. In the case of wagon loads, the following points should be given special attention:— (i) all vehicles/wagons loaded with perishables should be labelled with 'PERISHABLES' in Form Com./L-9 and 'QUICK TRANSIT labels which bear a green cross on their face ; (ii) after a vehicle/wagon has been loaded with perishables and booked, if should be despatched by the first available passenger or parcel train: a 'Push-on' message should be issued by the booking station to the junction and engine changing stations ahead and the same procedure will be followed by the next junction or engine changing station upto destination : it will be the personal responsibility of the Station Master/Yard Master of duty to ensure prompt action being taken on such messages ; (iii) the Trains Clerk should make a clear remark in the vehicle guidance against the entry of wagon loaded with perishables, "Booked by passenger train"; (iv) when such wagons are damaged and detached at any station short of destination, the contents should be transshipped at once, if necessary, into another wagon to which perishable labels and card labels should be affixed; transshipment particulars should be intimated to the booking and destination stations by wire ; full particulars of detention with reasons must be kept in a register and also intimated to the Train Controller on a controlled section, and to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent. 935. Clearance of luggage and parcels in brake vans of mail, passenger and mixed trains.—Each railway administration will issue special instructions from time to time regarding loading of luggage and parcels by mail trains and by important passenger trains, by which such traffic is carried through to other railways in through brake and luggage vans. Such instructions must be observed rigidly. Station Masters must be careful to keep all packages duly sorted out on platforms at a place where the front or rear brake van comes to a stand, ready for loading in the different compartments of brake and luggage vans, according to the instructions in force. When either van is full, the Guard must advise stations in advance so that https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 11/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING they may arrange to stack packages opposite to the brake van where there is room, to ensure loading within the scheduled stoppage of the train. 936. Arranging room for loading luggage in brake vans.—Guards/Brakemen must assist the station staff in arranging room for luggage and parcels that are to be loaded in luggage and brake vans. If any of the compartments of a luggage or brake van becomes overcrowded, Guards and Station Masters must use their discretion in loading packages into other compartments not set aside for the purpose, subject to room being available. A note of such packages must be made opposite their entry in the luggage and parcel summary. 937. Care in loading luggage and parcels.—In loading luggage and parcels, care should be taken that heavy packages are not placed on light articles that might be damaged thereby. The packages should be so placed inside the van that they are not liable to fall down from the shelves or from the top of other packages in transit. Packages for each section of the line must be kept together as far as possible, as this should enable the Guard/Assistant Guard to arrange quick unloading at destination station. Articles likely to cause damage to other luggage and parcels by leakage, etc. must be loaded separately. When there is likelihood of damage being done, the packages must be isolated by the Guard/Assistant Guard and made over to the station staff of the first convenient station on his run for repairs after obtaining signature in the luggage and parcel summary. Such articles, after repairs, must be immediately dispatched to their booked destination. 938. Handling of luggage and parcels.—Station Masters and Guards must not allow luggage and parcels to be roughly handled by Porters. They must report each case of rough handling that has resulted in any damage being done either in loading or in unloading to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent 939. Locking of brake and luggage vans.—All brake and luggage vans on passenger or parcel trains must be kept locked on both sides, whether there is anything loaded in them or not. and must under no circumstances be opened except in the presence of the Guard/Assistant Guard who should keep all keys of locks in his personal possession. All through vans which are not to be opened for unloading and loading of packages en route must be riveted and sealed, if not otherwise prohibited as in case of certain categories of dangerous goods. 940. Preparation of luggage and parcel summaries.—(a) At the train starting station, luggage and parcel summaries must be prepared, in duplicate, for all packages by the parcel staff on duty. One copy should be retained by the station as its record on which the Guard/Assistant Guard should sign in token of having received the packages entered therein, and the other copy should be made over to Guard/Brakeman. For parcels loaded from intermediate stations, the parcel staff should make the entries in the summaries with the Guard/Assistant Guard unless the station has more than 10 entries to make in which case the staff should-prepare a separate summary for delivery to the Guard/Assistant Guard. (b) In the summary the packages should be carefully described as on parcel way-bills and luggage tickets, e.g., one black steel trunk locked, one basket fresh mangoes, one canvas hold all, etc. (c) Guards taking over packages must sign for them clearly in full either in ink or with indelible pencil, entering the number of packages both in words and figures. (d) It will be the responsibility of the Guard/Assistant Guard to check the entries in the summary with the packages and the way-bills/luggage tickets to ensure that he has received the correct number of packages in sound condition with way-bills and luggage tickets. When a way-bill/luggage ticket is missing, a memo way-bill / luggage ticket should be prepared from the marks on the packages and given to the Guard/Assistant Guard. This memo must accompany the articles upto destination. A remark will be passed against the entry in the Summary: — 'without way-bill/luggage ticket' 941. Summaries for scaled vans and compartments.—Summaries for sealed vans and compartments should be prepared in duplicate by carbon process, one copy of which should be placed in the van and the other kept as record. The summaries for vans sealed to repacking points should be prepared in triplicate, one copy of which should be placed in the van. the other sent to the repacking station in advance and the third retained as record. When a van is sealed by the Guard/ Brakesman en route, he should prepare a fresh summary in duplicate for the parcels loaded therein, one copy being placed in the van along with the way-bills and the carbon copy retained by him. Such Summaries will be disposed of along with the summaries already in his charge. The staff at junctions with other railways will prepare fresh summaries, in duplicate, for packages loaded by them in brake van of through trains and hand over one copy to the Guard/Assistant Guard and retain the other as station record. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 12/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING 942. At stations where an exchange of Guard/Assistant Guard takes place, if any packages are found short or damaged, the fact must be recorded on the parcels summary and remarks made on the connected way-bill (Guard foil), and both should be signed by the relieving and relieved Guards/Assistant Guard. The omission to do so will render the Guard/Assistant Guard responsible who has charge of the parcels and luggage at the time the damage or short number is discovered. 943. Disposal of summaries.—On reaching the destination of the train, the Guard / Brakesman should hand over to the Station Master all summaries duly. signed together with a covering memo. The Station Master will send them to the Divisional Railway Manager/Chief Operating Superintendent in whose jurisdiction the last terminal station is situated. Summaries received in sealed vans and from Guards/Assistant Guard should be entered in a register kept for the purpose showing the date and time of unloading, train number, van number, station from, number of packages unloaded condition of packages, number of damage and deficiency messages issued, condition of seals and remarks. 944. Packages left behind for want of room in trains.— Whenever packages are left behind for want of room in a train or other cause, the Guard/Assistant Guard must give a memo to the Station Master at that station stating the reason for not clearing the packages and also make a remark in the Guard's rough journal. All cases of detention to packages on account of their having been left behind by any train should be reported to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent. Guards / Brakesmen will be held personally responsible if parcels or luggage articles are left behind for want of efforts on their part to find room for the traffic. 945. Transfer of packages from damaged luggage or brake van.—When a luggage or brake van becomes unfit to run on a train and has to be detached at an intermediate station, every effort must be made to load all packages of the damaged vehicle into other vehicles on the train. If it is not possible to transfer all the contents of the damaged vehicle, clearance should be arranged in the following order:— (i) Mail bags; (ii) insured packages; (iii) dogs and other animals; (iv) luggage booked to the longest distance; (v) other luggage; (vi) parcels of fresh fruit, vegetable and other perishable commodities; (vii) newspaper parcels; (viii) cinematograph films; (ix) other parcels. The balance of packages must be sent forward by the following fast train. The Station Master of the station at which such transfers are made must telegraph particulars of packages left behind to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent and to the Station Master of the starting station of the next following train so that he may leave room in the brake or luggage van for the clearance of packages. Complete record of detention to packages should be maintained in a register kept for the purpose. 946. Custody of luggage and parcels.— From the time the luggage and parcels are made over to the Guards/Assistant Guard, to the time these are handed over to the Station Master or Luggage/Parcel Clerk at destination station or at junction, these will be in the sole custody of Guards/Assistant Guard who should see that all compartments of luggage and brake vans, whether loaded or empty, are padlocked on both sides. At destination the unloaded parcels must be removed, as quickly as possible, to the parcels godown where they should be properly stacked and dates of unloading marked on each consignment This will facilitate locating of packages at the time of delivery and taking of timely action for parcles which remain undelivered. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 13/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING 947. Care in unloading parcels and luggage from sealed vans.—(a) Before a sealed van is opened, its seals must be personally checked by the unloading clerk or Station Master to ensure that the seals, rivets, etc. are intact. If deficient, a telegram must be-issued immediately to all concerned indicating the nature of deficiency and the time at which it was detected. (b) The number of packages and description of goods entered on the seal cards must be compared with the description and actual number of packages unloaded. In case of discrepancy in the number of packages, the matter should at once be reported by wire to the Station Master of the last sealing station, and the Railway Protection Force staff of the sealing station and of station at which the discrepancy is detected within six hours of the opening of the van. If the description of goods does not tally with the description given on the seal cards, the matter should at once be reported to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent concerned, and delivery of goods should not be granted until the error has been clarified to the satisfaction of the Station Master or the Chief Parcel Clerk, and permission to grant delivery is received from the Divisional Commercial Superintendent (c) The way-bills should be compared with the labels or marks on the packages to ensure that correct packages have been unloaded. (d) In case of any discrepancy damage, deficiency, etc., a suitable remark: should be passed in the luggage and parcel summary which must be countersigned by the Railway Protection Force Staff. The defective packages should also be reweighed in their presence and the weight so found recorded in the summary. (e) The damage or deficiency (other than the loss of a package) must be reported by post on postcards (and not by telegrams or train messages) to the booking station or, if the consignment has been checked or transshipped en route, to the station which last sealed the van, on the day the consignment is unloaded. (f) All packages unloaded should be entered in the unloading book in which remarks of damage, deficiency, etc. should also be recorded. 948. Custody of inward luggage and parcels.—Inward luggage and parcels must be kept under lock and key. Station Masters are responsible for keeping the keys in their own possession or in that of some responsible clerk. Where packages cannot be locked in a cage or room, special arrangements must be made for their safety, and packages put under the charge of Railway Protection Force Staff. 949. Receipt of inward parcels.—Inward parcels made over by Guards to Station Masters or Parcel Clerks, should be carefully examined by the latter and signed for, in full either in ink or with indelible pencil. The number of packages and connected parcel way-bills received should be recorded in words and in figures in the summary. The staff taking over the parcels from an incoming train should personally check that the number of packages is correct, that they are accompanied by the connected way-bills, that they are actually booked to his station, and that their outward condition is good and show no signs of tampering or pilferage. Deficiencies, slack or broken condition of packages should be recorded by the Parcel Clerk in the summary in the presence of the Guard/Assistant Guard who should countersign such entries. Entries to this effect will also be made in the unloading book. In case of slack or broken articles, their weight should also be recorded. 950. Check of inward way-bills.—Inward parcel way-bills, for both local and through traffic, should, as they arrive, be stamped with the station stamp by the destination station, showing the date of receipt, and checked both as to 'Paid' and 'To-pay' items. The original charges on a way-bill should not be altered and the under or overcharges detected should be shown on the way-bill in the column provided for the purpose. The rules regarding under or overcharges on goods traffic detailed in Chapter XVIII are equally applicable in the case of parcels traffic. Under no circumstances should a way-bill be cancelled at the receiving station. 951. Re-weighment of inward parcels.—Station Masters should arrange for the systematic re-weighment of inward parcels immediately on their receipt All parcels should be re-weighed at destination, except at station where the parcels traffic is heavy, in which case the Divisional Commercial Superintendent will fix the minimum percentage of short distance (i.e. upto 320 kms.) parcels to be re-weighed. All parcels carried over 320 kms. should invariably be re-weighed. The result of re-weighment should be recorded in the column provided for the purpose in the parcels delivery book (Form Com./P-7) and undercharges, if any due, recovered before effecting delivery. The result of re-weighment should also be recorded in a re-weighment register, to be specially maintained for this purpose, indicating the date of re-weighment, booking particulars, number and description of packages, contents, names of the consignor and consignee, weight as per way-bill and re-weighment, undercharges due, and delivery book folio number. Cases of frequent under-weighment of parcels booked from a particular station or by a https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 14/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING particular consignor or of a particular commodity should be specially brought to the notice of the Divisional Commercial Superintendent for necessary action. The Provisions of Section 78 of the Railways Act are as under— "Section 78—Notwithstanding anything contained in the Railway Receipt, the Rly. Administration may, before the delivery of the consignment have the right to— (i) remeasure, reweigh or reclassify any consignment, (ii) recalculate the freight, and other charges, and (iii) correct any other error or collect any amount that may have been omitted to be charged" 952. Surprise checks for detection of under-weighment of parcels.—Commercial Officers and Inspectors of the Accounts and Commercial Departments should carry out surprise checks at important stations with a view to detecting under-weighments. The weight recorded on the parcel way-bill/luggage ticket should be verified by actual weighment of the packages and in the case of discrepancy the undercharges, if due should be recovered before delivery. A record should be maintained of all cases of under-weighments noticed during the course of these inspections. If systematically prepared and tabulated, such a record should be helpful in revealing and indicating stations or particular traffic movements in respect of which under weighments are being habitually practiced and to decide upon the steps to be taken against this malpractice 953. Mis-declaration of contents of parcels.—(a) The mis-declaration of contents of parcels is not uncommon and is generally made for the purpose of securing transportation at a cheaper rate than the authorized charges, e.g., articles chargeable at General Parcel Scale Rate being described as those for which reduced parcels rates are chargeable, such as, ghee as butter, and dry fruit as fresh fruit. The contents of parcels booked at rates lower than General Parcel Scale Rate should, therefore, be examined, and if it is found that a mis-declaration had been made, double the General Parcel Scale Rate should be charged. Suitable remarks should be passed on the railway receipt as well as on the 'Guard' foil of the way-bill. (b) Mis-declaration of parcels is an offence under section 163 of the Railways Act and the persons making the mis-declaration as also the owner of goods, on conviction by a Magistrate are liable, in addition to payment of double the GPA rate, to a fine which may extend to Rs. 500 for every quintal or part of a quintal of the goods. The record of cases of mis-declaration detected should be maintained at all stations, and cases of frequent mis- declaration of goods by a particular party or from a particular station should be brought to the notice of the Divisional Commercial Superintendent. 954. Surprise checks to detect mis-declarations.—Commercial Officers and Inspectors of the Commercial and Accounts Departments should carry out surprise checks at frequent intervals at important stations to examine the contents of parcels. All cases of mis-declaration of contents of parcels found during the course of the surprise checks should be listed up and the lists distributed among the staff engaged in the booking and delivery of parcels with a view to educating them as to the kinds of commodities which traders have a tendency to mis- declare and the actual wrong declaration resorted to in practice so that the staff may be on the look out and take steps to prevent the leakage of railway revenues that may be taking place in this manner. 955. Accountal of inward way-bills.—Inward way-bills for both local and through traffic should, after these have been stamped and checked in the manner indicated in Para 950, be entered in the parcels delivery book. Separate books should be maintained for local and through traffic and all way-bills entered therein as received (see Para 1303 also). Way-bills should, as far as possible, be taken to account by destination stations in the month in which these are issued. To admit of this being done, the closing of each month's account of such traffic should be deferred until the 5th of the succeeding month when these should be closed, whether all the way-bills have come to hand or not. All way-bills received upto this should be accounted for in the month's account in hand, irrespective of whether the parcels in connection therewith have been received in the month or not Parcels received without connected way-bills should immediately be entered in the appropriate delivery book with whatever particulars are available on the packages or on the memo accompanying them (see Para 940), and the original way-bill or a certified copy thereof called for from the booking station. If before closing the accounts or the period, either of these is received, or the railway receipt is produced for effecting delivery, the remaining particulars in the delivery book should be filled up. In other cases, the items should be shown as "outstanding" and subsequently transferred to the delivery book for the period in which either of the above documents is https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 15/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING available for accounting the way-bill, the delivery book folio number, on which the way-bill is accounted, should be entered against the original entry. 956. Delivery of parcels against railway receipts.—(a) The persons claiming delivery of a parcel should be asked to produce the relevant railway receipt, which should be carefully scrutinized to see that it is genuine, and in every way an exact copy of the connected way-bill received through the Guard/Assistant Guard. All notifications in Gazettes, circulars and press about the loss of railway receipt foils should be carefully noted by the staff deputed en granting delivery of consignments to guard against fraudulent use of railway receipts. A careful scrutiny of the booking station stamp impressions should be made by reference to the same on the previous receipts of that station. In addition, the receipt should be examined against light to ensure that there are no erasures, over-writings and alterations on it. (b) The person taking delivery of the consignment must sign in the column, provided for the purpose in the delivery book. In the case of illiterate persons, their left hand thumb impression maybe accepted in lieu of signature. A remark may be made in 'Remarks' column if the condition of the parcel at the time of delivery shows sign of damage or pilferage, and such remarks must be countersigned by the staff. On railways, on which parcels are delivered through contractors under the "Street Delivery System", they should be made over to the contractors and their signatures obtained in a separate register. Reference to the pages of this register should be quoted in Delivery Book against the respective entries. The provisions of Section 76 of the Railways Act, are as follows:— (c) "Section 76—The railway administration shall deliver the consignment under a railway receipt on the surrender of such railway receipt. Provided that in case the railway receipt. is not forthcoming, the consignment may be delivered to the person, entitled in the opinion of the railway administration to receive the goods in such manner as may be prescribed." The provisions of section 77 of the Railways Act, are also as under:—"Where no railway receipt is forthcoming and any consignment or the sale proceeds of any consignment are claimed by two or more persons, the railway administration may withhold delivery of such consignment or sale proceeds, as the case may be and shall deliver such consignment or sale proceeds in such manner as may be prescribed" 957. Numbering and filing of railway receipts.—To facilitate reference, the collected railway receipts, whether 'Paid' or 'To-Pay', should be numbered consecutively in the order of delivery starting from number 1 on the first day of each month. This progressive number should also be entered against the relevant entry in the parcels delivery book and cash book. The collected receipts (or Indemnity Notes in lieu thereof) should be filed in string files in the order of delivery and made up into daily, periodical or monthly bundles, depending upon the quantum of traffic obtaining at a station. 958. Delivery of parcels when the way-bill shows freight 'To-pay' and the receipts shows 'Paid' or vice versa.—In the case of parcels, if the way-bill shows the freight 'To-pay' and the railway receipt shows the freight 'Paid', or vice versa, the forwarding station should be telegraphed before delivery to ascertain which entry is correct. The reply received should be attached to the way-bill. If it is found that an error has been made, it should be adjusted in the manner prescribed in para 968. The way-bill should, however, be accounted for as issued and not as it should have been issued. 959. Procedure' for delivery when railway receipt or way-bill is not available.— (a) When the railway receipt is lost, delivery of parcels may be granted to the consignee on execution of an Indemnity Note provided the Station Master is satisfied that the person claiming the consignment is really the consignee. It may be stamped or unstamped according to the nature of the case and value of goods involved. In all cases, where the Station Master is not satisfied that the person claiming the consignment is really the consignee, the matter should be referred to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent for orders. (b) Under Section 76 of the Railways Act, in case the railway receipt is not forthcoming, the consignment may be delivered to the person entitled in the opinion of the railway administration to receive the goods in such manner as. may be prescribed. (c) If railway receipt is not forthcoming, the consignment will be delivered on the execution of Indemnity Note on Form I. If consignee is a Government official in his official capacity and in case of perishable articles the Railway may allow delivery on unstamped Indemnity Note. Government departments and big firms may use General Indemnity Note also. This is executed for three years. Separate forms are used by State Government, departments of Central Government and big firms. Consignment booked to 'SELF' will not be delivered on General Indemnity Note. Railway receipt in this case must be presented within ten days or Indemnity Note on Form I https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 16/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING should be executed otherwise this facility will be cancelled. (d) Indemnity Note cannot legally be stamped with an adhesive stamp. It should be written out and executed on a non-judicial stamped paper of the appropriate value. If goods are claimed by two or more persons, the Railway may withhold delivery unless Indemnity Note on Form I is executed. (e) The maximum value of consignment which maybe delivered by the Station Master on presentation of an Indemnity Note without obtaining prior order of the Divisional Office, will be fixed by each railway administration. (f) A specimen form of Indemnity Note appears in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff. The Indemnity Note should be signed by the consignee as well as by surety and two witnesses. The Note should be properly stamped, except when presented in cases exempted under the Indian Stamp Act. A list of these exemptions is also given in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff. (g) In the case of parcels consigned by the sender to 'SELF', when the railway receipt is lost or otherwise not forthcoming, delivery may be granted only when the person claiming the consignment produces "a stamped Indemnity Note duly executed by the consignor, and countersigned by the Station Master of the booking station under his signature and station stamp. The Note must also be endorsed by the sender in favour of the person to whom the consignment is to be delivered. It is further incumbent on the person claiming delivery to execute a second stamped Indemnity Note duly signed by him along with the surety and two witnesses to the satisfaction of the Station Master at the destination station before delivery can be effected. Separate forms will be used by consignor and consignee. (h) Indemnity Note is required to be executed in the presence of the Station Master as provided on the form itself. However, if a consignee is unable to appear personally before the Station Master for the execution of the Note, he may execute it before a Magistrate or a Justice of Peace, who will attest it under his official seal. Such attested Indemnity Notes may also be accepted even though they are not executed in the presence of the Station Master. (i) In all cases of 'Paid' parcels (except those parcels on which prepayment of freight is compulsory), when either the railway receipt or way-bill is not forthcoming, the forwarding station should be addressed telegraphically before delivery to ascertain whether the freight has actually been paid or not. 960. Station Master to obtain permission from Divisional Commercial Superintendent for granting delivery on Indemnity Note.—In the following cases delivery of parcels should not be granted even on execution of Indemnity Note without obtaining prior permission of the Divisional Commercial Superintendent concerned:— (i) consignments claimed by a person other than the invoiced consignee, or by any person when the column of 'Consignee' on the waybill is erroneously left blank by the booking station; (ii) consignments through booked from abroad; (iii) consignments claimed by more than one person; (iv) consignments booked to the sender, when the sender is not personally known at the destination station. 961. Delivery of perishables in the absence of Railway receipt and way-bills.— (a) When consignment is received with P.W. Bill and the merchant is unable to produce the R.R. all the relevant particulars should be recorded in the Delivery book from the P.W. Bill and the delivery effected on the execution of Indemnity Note/General Indemnity Note. (b) In cases where both RRs and P.W. Bills are not available, memo delivery shall not be granted without collection of cost of A (c) The consignees taking delivery of perishable consignment vide Para (a) above shall have to surrender the RR within 10 days of the delivery of the consignment. (d) In the event of the failure of the consignee to surrender the RR within 20 days of the delivery of the consignments, the consignee shall have to deposit the cost of the goods in accordance with the schedule of rates as prescribed and the railway staff will issue, a money receipt. Following remarks should be made by the railway staff on the money receipt:— https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 17/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING "If refund of the deposit is not claimed with in one" year from the date of issue of this receipt, the deposit will stand forfeited." (e) If there is further delay in surrendering the RR or depositing the cost of the consignment beyond a period of 30 days from the date of delivery of the consignment, all further deliveries on the strength of General Indemnity Note be stopped by the Station Master/CPS. Exceptions, if any, in this regard would only be made with the personal approval of SrDCS/DCS of the divisions concerned. (f) Station Master can grant refund of the cost of the goods collected for the consignment delivered on General Indemnity Note, only if the party prefers a claim for refund within six months from the date of delivery of the goods. Any claim made for such refund after the expiry of six months but before the expiry of one year from the date of delivery of the goods is to be dealt with by the Divisions on merits. The amount of deposit will stand forfeited to the railway if claim for refund of the same is not preferred with in one year from the date of delivery of the goods. This provision about limitation period of one year should be notified to all the merchants taking delivery of perishable consignments on P.W. Bills. (g) When any missing goods report in respect of a claim preferred by a party to the C.C.O., is sent to claims office, the memo delivery book of that party should be consulted and particulars of all consignments for which RRs have not been surrendered or full cost of the consignment had not been deposited excluding memo delivery granted during a period of 45 days preceding the date of preparation of Missing goods report for the relevant consignment should be recorded on the Missing goods report. (h) When a claim is repudiated on account of pending Memo deliveries against a party for 45 days as mentioned in Para (g) above, the party should be advised about the number of pending Memo deliveries against them. Instructions should be issued by the Divisional Railway Manager that the facility for granting memo delivery to that party should be stopped forthwith, if not already done by the Station Master or the division by that time. Similar review will also be done by the court Section when a suit is filed by the party. (i) In case memo delivery to a party is stopped in accordance with the above instructions, the perishable consignments of that party be disposed of by sale. (j) It is also observed that in certain cases the weight of perishable consignments delivered on memo has not been arrived at correctly, with the result that the cost realized is not the full cost of the consignment. Therefore in all cases of memo deliveries where railway receipts are not surrendered, the weight of the consignment should be recalculated on the basis of RR, weight of similar consignments of the same commodity received from the same station in the same period where deliveries have been granted on the basis of RR/PWB and the weight of the consignment adjusted accordingly. The extent of adjustment in weight will be determined by the sectional claims Inspector concerned in each case. (k) All missing goods reports of perishable consignment shall carry remarks that all cases of delivery on Memo to the same party (excluding Memo delivery granted during a period of 45 days proceeding the delivery of the consignment for which Missing goods report is under preparation) have been cleared by the party by full payment on the correct adjusted weight. (l) The record of deposits and refunds should be maintained in a manuscript register appearing at Appendix IX D which must be posted separately for each month in duplicate by Carbon process. At the beginning of every month, all outstanding items of the previous month against which refund has not been granted should be brought forward and posted in the register. At the end of the month, the total of amounts.deposited and refunded will be struck separately, and a summary in form at Appendix IX/E showing the previous out standings, deposited collected during the month as well as the amount refunded and amount of deposits for outstanding consignments will be prepared and submitted to the Traffic Accounts office along with the pencil copy of the register. 962. Responsibility of stations for undercharges.—Receiving stations are held responsible for recovery of undercharges on parcels, traffic both local and through, whether 'Paid' or 'To-pay', except in the following cases which are debit-able to the forwarding station:— (i) Percentage charges due on animals or birds and parcels containing articles; of Part I of Schedule II of the Railways (Extent of Monetary Liability and Prescription of Percentage charge) Rules 1990. (ii) freight on parcels, live-stock and all other traffic carried by passenger or parcel trains on which prepayment of freight is compulsory; (iii) undercharges of under one rupee in freight pre-paid by a credit note; https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 18/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING (iv) traffic booked and carried in charge of owner. These exceptions, however, do not relieve the receiving station of the responsibility for checking the way-bills. Undercharges in the excepted items detected at a receiving station, should be reported to the Traffic Accounts Office and the forwarding station. Receiving stations will be held responsible for undercharges which, when debited by the Traffic Accounts Office to the forwarding station, are declared to be irrecoverable whenever it transpires that no report was made by the receiving station. 963. Cash book for parcels, luggage, etc., Form Com./C-4 Rev.—(a) The cash book for parcels, luggage etc. is a record of earnings realized from inward parcels, luggage, motor-cars, animals and birds, left luggage, wharfage, demurrage, etc. and is to be maintained at stations where the money received from these sources is kept separate from that received from the sale of passenger tickets. At the end of the day the total receipts as entered in the cash book will be carried over to the daily trains cash-cum-summary book. At smaller stations, however, the receipts from the above sources should be posted directly in the daily trains cash-cum-summary book. (b) Separate columns for different heads of receipts have been provided in the cash book for parcels, luggage, etc. for posting the cash collections. At the close of the day, each column should be carefully totaled by the Station Master/ Chief Parcel Clerk, and the total amount received during the day after comparison with the cash on hand, should be shown both in figures and words. (c) The amount collected during each period will be totaled and at the close of the month a general summary of all the three periods will be prepared to arrive at the total amount collected and remitted to the Cashier during the month. 964. Delay to parcels in transit.—If a consignment of parcels is not received within a reasonable time, the forwarding station and the junctions via which it is booked should be addressed by a telegram. In case of inordinate delay, the matter should be brought to the notice of the Chief. Commercial Superintendent 965. Rebooking of parcels.—The procedure outlined in Chapter XVIII in regard to the rebooking of goods should be "followed in the rebooking of parcels, 966. Procedure for the rectification of errors In issue of Way-bills,—Way-bill should be accounted for as issued and under no circumstances should a way-bill be altered or cancelled after it has been dispatched. When it is discovered that a way-bill has been issued by the forwarding station to a wrong destination, or issued with wrong particulars, the procedure prescribed for goods invoices in such cases should be followed (see Chapter XVIII). 967. Unbooked parcels.-All parcels carried on the railway are required to be booked. The despatch of unbooked parcels is strictly prohibited. If any unbooked parcel is received at a station, the matter should be reported to the Divisional commercial Superintendent for instructions. A copy of the instructions received regarding disposal, recovery of charges or otherwise, etc. should be attached to the inward parcels abstracts on which the charges are recorded. 968. Way-bills issued 'To-pay' instead of 'Paid' and vice versa.—(a) If, on receipt of a telegram of enquiry from the destination station, it is found that erroneously 'To-pay' way-bill had been issued instead of 'Paid', the forwarding station should send a certified overcharge sheet to the destination station which will take 'special credit' in its balance sheet for the amount outstanding, and submit the overcharge sheet to the Traffic Accounts Office, attached to the balance sheet in support of the credit entry. The forwarding station should also debit itself for the amount involved by a special entry in its balance sheet. (b) When a 'Paid' way-bill has been issued instead of 'To-pay', the-destination station should, at once, send a certified overcharge sheet to the forwarding station, which should take special credit in its balance sheet to clear the erroneous debit, and submit the overcharge sheet to the Traffic Accounts Office attached to the balance sheet in support of the credit entry. The destination station should debit itself by a special entry in its balance sheet, a remark being made on the waybill that the freight had been collected. "Fresh way-bill should not be issued in any of the above cases." 969. Booked parcels withdrawn by sender after despatch of way-bill.—The forwarding Station Master should advise the destination Station Master by letter of the withdrawal of parcels, and send an overcharge sheet or ask for one to be sent to him, according as to whether the debit lies against the destination or forwarding https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/CommManual-I/ComercialManualCh9_data.htm 19/25 11/21/24, 3:08 PM CHAPTER IX BOOKING station. The necessary adjustment in the balance sheet will be made in accordance with the instructions contained in the preceding para. If P.W. Bill is also cancelled Rs. 5 per PW Bill, shall be charged as cancellation charge. 970. Parcels twice way-billed to the same station.—When two way-bills have been issued for the same consignment to the same station, the Station Master discovering the error should, at once, advise the other station by letter. A certified overcharge sheet should be submitted without delay by the Station Master against whom the debit does not lie, to the other Station Master, the necessary adjustment being made as explained in Para 968. 971. Way-bills accounted for more than once.—In cases where, through error, the same way-bill has been accounted for more than once, the receiving Station Master should clear his outstanding by taking special credit in the balance sheet for the freight twice accounted for, quoting reference to the periods in which the waybill was accounted for previously. Issue of an overcharge sheet in such cases is not necessary. 972. Parcels over-carried.—When parcels are over-carried on the home line, the Station Master of the station to which the parcels have been so over-carried will book them back to the correct destination under a free parcel way-bill, which will be accounted for in the books of outward and inward stations and in returns submitted to the Traffic Accounts Office in the same manner as other waybills. However, parcels over-carried from other railways should be rebooked to destination To pay' at the ordinary tariff rates, the outstanding being cleared through a certified overcharge sheet Over-carried packages must not be returned unbooked. No charges for the distance over-carried should be recovered from the public. Parcels over-carried or mis-earned must be carefully examined and re-wcighed immediately, both at the station to which over-carried and at the station to which booked. 973. Undelivered, mis-sent or unbooked parcels and luggage.—Station Masters or Chief/Head Parcel Clerks, where provided, must check personally all outstanding parcels and luggage, etc., at their station at the end of each period, i.e., on the evening of the 10th. 20th and on the last date of every month or on the following mornings. They will be held responsible for taking action for disposal of consignments, undelivered, or for those delivered but not removed, as also for delays to mis-sent or unbooked articles. The inventory should be taken in Form Com./I-3, which must be preserved for inspection by the officials of the Commercial and Accounts Departments. 974. Procedure for disposal of perishable consignments held up due to interruption of through communications.—(a) When due to breaches,