Many reports suggested that Indian Railways is planning to roll out a pilot project at key railway stations across India to regulate baggage policy and boost revenue of the stations.
The move, according to the reports, was aimed at regulating baggage policy across railway stations, mirrors the one already in place in airports.
But Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called all these reports ‘absolute fake news’. During an interview with a news channel, Vaishnaw said that the luggage rules existed in railways for decades.
“Someone picked the already existing rules and did stories on it. It is absolute fake news. The rules have been there for decades,” Viashnaw said in the interview.
What are the rules?
Indian Railways specifies free personal luggage allowances, based on travel class, allows 70kg in AC First Class, 50kg in AC 2 tier, 40 kg in AC 3 Tier to 35 kg in Second class or general compartments and second class sitting, according to Indian Raiwlays Passenger Reservation Enquiry (table above).
Though some leeway is given, normally exceeding prescribed limits incurs fines, which can be 1.5 times what the passenger would pay at the station for excess standard luggage.
Absolute fake news. The rules have been there for decades.
India has the worlds’s largest and busiest railway networks in the world. Indian Railways serves as a lifeline for millions of travellers daily.