It is natural to daydream about things we want and thanks to Indian railways, you may soon get a box of your favourite sweets from Kolkata, a saree from Varanasi, or even a sack of rice from Bihar. In an attempt to tap the non-conventional freight traffic, Railways is piloting test runs of a door-to-door delivery service.

 

Taking cue from the courier companies or e-commerce players, the state-owned transport company is looking to bring the plan to fruition through an app along with giving its customers receipts with a QR code. This would let them track their orders. The app will also show the user the estimated charge and the time needed to deliver a consignment, ToI quoted an unnamed DFCC official, with knowledge of the matter, as saying.

 

For its door-to-door delivery plan, the railways is looking to rope in India Post and other players to get hold of the expanding logistics business, where it has been overtook by the private sector, including new entrants.

 

The first such service will be rolled out in the Delhi NCR and the Sanand Sector in Gujarat by June-July, for which the railways has brought Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC) on board. The transporter has also instructed some of its zones to develop a module. Another test run is planned in Mumbai.

 

“We are targeting white goods, small items as well as aggregators who can avail of the service,” the DFCC official said. For their ease, customers will be given the choice to either drop the packet at dedicated points or have it picked up from their homes or offices.

 

Officials in the know of the plan added that the idea is to provide the delivery service at competitive rates, which may be lower than what it will cost to move the consignments by road.

 

“The customers will also have the option of whether they want the packaging to be done by us. This service will be based on a transit assurance scheme,” the DFCC official stated.