Passengers who store luggage in railway lockers and cloakrooms would now have to spend more for availing the service.
Railway board has empowered Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) for raising the usage fee for the service at stations. It will soon launch a bidding system to modernise services which will include computerised inventory, and allowing a fee to be raised annually.
Currently, Indian Railways charge Rs.20 for the use of a locker for 24 hours and Rs.30 for every additional 24 hours or part thereof. Earlier it was Rs.15. The last revision of the rates for the use of lockers and cloakrooms was done in February 2013 (the first since 2000 when the prices were Rs.10 and Rs.15 for 24 hours).
The base price will be decided through an open bidding system once the new policy is in place.
“It has now been decided that DRMs shall have full powers for upward revision of the cloakroom and locker tariff at stations based on their local conditions,” the new policy decision said.
“Many do not want to lug their luggage around and want a safe place to keep their stuff. The railways have been providing this service for long. At some stations where there is high tourist footfall and thus high demand, we thought that the officer in the field should decide how much he wants to fix the fee at,” a senior railway official said.
A trial run is being planned in A1 or class A stations where space will be provided by the railways for a licensing fee to the successful bidder to run the service.
“The successful bidder may be allowed fixed escalation in charges on a yearly basis,” said the document detailing the outsourcing plans of the railways’ cloakrooms and lockers issued earlier this month.
