Indian Railways and India Posts on Thursday formally launched their joint parcel service -- Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service.

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The service has started on four sectors -- Delhi to Kolkata; Bangalore to Guwahati; Surat to Muzaffarpur; and Hyderabad to Hazrat Nizamuddin. A total 15 sectors have been planned to be covered in the first phase.

The highlights of this service include total logistical service -- pick-up and delivery at customer premises, palletisation-transportation through covered and sealed boxes, semi-mechanised handling, time-tabled service, insurance on the declared value of the cargo for loss, damage and deterioration, and integrated parcel waybill.

"Joint marketing teams between Posts and Railways have been made to take this initiative forward. Doing away with the slab system of pricing is an innovation herein.

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"Railways and Department of Posts have collectively upgraded their tools, machinery and handling equipment, storage space for optimum use. Specially designed fold type box, envelope box, mesh type box, bubble guard box made up of aluminium and light weight material have been developed.

"Similarly, parcel aggregation centres have been equipped with conveyor system along with specially designed rakes for efficient stacking. BTU decks where palatized material can be easily rolled are provided for effortless movement," the Railways said.

Salient features for customers: Doorstep pick-up and delivery: India Post will pick up the consignment at the doorstep of the customer and transport to the railway station (first-mile activity) at the destination railway station, India Post will transport the consignment from the station to the destination address and deliver the consignment at the doorstep of the addressee (last mile activity).

The flexibility of quantum of load: There is no fixed obligation of loading as a party can book a small load of 100 kilogram also.

Time-tabled service: Parcel train operated under JPP scheme is a time-tabled train with scheduled departure and arrival of the train at originating, intermediate and destination stations.

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Safe transmission: Indian Railways will provide intermediate transmission between origin and destination railway stations (middle mile activity), in secured sealed boxes, ensuring safe and secured passage through time-tabled trains.

Insurance: The Department of Post offers a third-party insurance facility at an affordable rate of 0.03 percent of cargo value to the customers availing JPP service.

Affordable tariff: First mile and last service charges at Rs 6 per kilogram gives competitive and cost-effective solution to the customers in comparison to existing road rates.

Single point of contact: India Post will be the single point of contact for the customer for the despatch of consignment from pick-up till delivery.

Mobile application: A mobile app is being developed where customers availing JPP service can book the consignment with an online payment facility and also can track the status of the consignment with a live tracking facility.

Earlier, a pilot weekly service was launched on March 31 2022 from Surat to Varanasi by attaching a VPU to Tapti Ganga Express.

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After the Budget announcement in 2022-23, proof of concept has been conducted on the textile segment from Surat and today after conducting 99 trials on single parcel van mode and 16 trials on full train load mode, Railways have decided to launch this combined initiative across the network.