You may have to pay more for Railway lockers, cloak-room
What's the story
Be prepared to pay more for usage of Railway lockers and cloak rooms as the Indian Railway board has empowered the Divisional Railway Managers to increase the charges.
In a bid to modernize the system, Railways will soon launch a bidding system which will include computerized inventory.
While the rates were last revised in 2013, they will now be raised annually.
New policy
Rates to be decided by local officers, based on demand
The new policy decision has not provided a fixed rate to be charged for using locker and cloak room services. Instead, it said that "Divisional Regional Managers will now have the powers for upward revision of these charges at stations based on local conditions."
"At places where there is high demand, we thought the officer in field should decide the fee," an official said.
Information
Current charges
Currently the charges include, Rs. 20 for use of a locker for 24 hrs and Rs. 30 for every additional 24 hrs or part thereof. The cloakroom rent is Rs. 15 for 24 hrs and Rs. 20 for every additional 24 hrs or part thereof.
Open bidding
Trial run in A1 or Class A stations
As per the new policy, the base price per unit of luggage to be kept for a specified time period in the lockers and cloak rooms will be decided through an open bidding system.
"The successful bidder may be allowed fixed escalation in charges on a yearly basis."
A trial run could be implemented in identified A1 or Class A stations.