Railway parcel reaches destination after 3.5 years

The company, Indian Potash Limited, had booked the wagon (107462) having compost from Visakhapatnam port to the destination of M/s Ramchandra Gupta's shop.

New Delhi: In an incident that highlights the negligence of the Indian Railways, the wagon of a goods train from Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam took 3.5 years to complete its journey of 1400 km and reach its destination. The wagon was booked in the year 2014. 

The arrival of the wagon took the railway officials by surprise.

The company, Indian Potash Limited, had booked the wagon (107462) having compost parcel from Visakhapatnam Port to the destination of M/s Ramchandra Gupta's shop. However, when the wagon didn't turn up at the destination even after several months, dozens of letters were written to the Railways. But the Railway authorities couldn't track the wagon for 3.5 years.

The compost-filled wagon parcel, that is worth 10 lakhs, travelled throughout the country during this period and despite passing through several railway stations the Railway authority failed to locate the wagon resulting in the decay of the product.

For the time being, the product has been kept on the platform of a railway station. As the compost has decayed the shop owner has refused to take it. The owner of the product has said that it is a blunder on the part of the Railways which couldn't track the wagon.

The owner added that despite giving the Railways constant reminders they failed to trace the wagon for so many years and now after the wagon went missing for more than three years it reached its destination from Visakhapatnam. The cost of the goods is worth Rs 10 lakh and it will be taken from the Railways on an assessment basis.