JPP-RCS - Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service

 

JPP-RCS

Features: 

• Stands for Joint Parcel Product-Rapid cargo Service

• Partnership: Indian Railways and India Post

• Object: Seamless, door-to-door logistics solutions for consignments. 

• Integrated Service: India Post handles first-mile pickup and last-mile delivery, while Indian Railways manages the main transit between stations. 

First Mile	Transit between  First Mile & Last Mile	Last Mile
India Post	Indian Railways	India Post

• VAP - Virtual Aggregation Platform - An online platform developed by Indian Railways to facilitate load aggregation from multiple customers, allowing for efficient booking and tracking of consignments. 

• Time-Tabled Services: Operates on scheduled parcel trains, ensuring timely and reliable delivery of goods. (like Passenger trains) 

• Affordable Tariffs -  India Post charging Rs.6 per KG for combined pickup and delivery within municipal limits 

• Insurance coverage by third part - at 0.03% of Consignment value plus GST 

• SPOC - Single Point Of Contact: India Post act as SPC throughout the process - to interact  

• Leveraging the extensive network of both IR & India Post

First ever JPP-RCS Service - Features

•  From Budgam(J&K) to Adarsh Nagar (New Delhi)

• Pilot Project for 1 Year 

• Approved by Railway Board (on 20th August, 2025)

• By Jammu Division of Northern Railway.

• Operated Daily

• Transit time:  Estimated to take approximately 23 hours, which is notably faster than the conventional road transport between Budgam and Delhi

• Consists of 8 Parcel Vans (VPs) and 1 Seating cum Luggage Rake (SLR) 

• To streamline operations, loading and unloading facilities will be provided at Bari Brahmana (BBMN) station in addition to Budgam and Adarsh Nagar 

 Benefits: 

1. Cost-effective, efficient, and reliable alternative for transporting goods 

2. Boosting Railways’ share in the courier & freight logistics. 

3.  Benefit Kashmiri producers and traders, particularly those dealing in dry fruits, handicrafts, saffron, apples, walnuts, Pashmina shawls, and carpets  

Key Points for MCQ: 

1. JPP-RCS - Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service

2. VAP - Virtual Aggregation Platform

3. SPOC - Single Point Of Contact 

4. Partners: IR & India Post  

5. First ever service: Budgam(J&K) to Adarsh Nagar (New Delhi)

6. Pilot Project: 1 year (Assessment at 6 Months) 

YTSK - Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra

 

YTSK - Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra

• Private ticket booking counters authorized by Indian Railways to issue reserved and unreserved tickets through the PRS (Passenger Reservation System).

🔹 Key Features:

• Purpose: To expand ticketing facilities through authorized private agents beyond railway premises.
  
  

• Operated by: Registered individuals/firms/companies approved by zonal railways.

💰 Financial Requirements:

Particular	Amount
Registration Fee	₹2 lakh (one-time, non-refundable)
System Access Charges	₹1.6 lakh per terminal per annum
Security Deposit	₹1 lakh per terminal (up to ₹5 lakh max)
Revenue Sharing	25% of service charge to YTSK
Service Charges	₹30 (SL/2S), ₹40 (AC classes) per ticket

📆Other Key points:

• Tenure: 3 years (renewable)

• Maximum Terminals per Licensee: 4 (can be increased based on need)

• Working Hours: Generally 08:00 AM to 10:00 PM 

• Ticket Rolls: Supplied free by Railways (distinct color)

•  Counter Setup: Must be outside railway premises

• Training: Mandatory for operators
  

✅ YTSK: Success & Impact on Indian Railways

1. Convenient & Decentralized Ticketing

YTSKs provide PRS (reserved) and UTS (unreserved) ticketing outside station premises, reducing crowding and queue pressure at railway counters.  Ideal for passengers who are not internet-savvy or want to avoid station congestion.

2. Enhanced Passenger Reach

Serves localities and urban/rural areas away from stations, making ticketing more accessible and widespread

3. Balanced System Load

Helps decongest PRS counters, especially in peak periods, while complementing IRCTC website bookings (which already account for 70%+ of reservations) 

4. Private Partnerships with Accountability

Operated under strict licensing and monitoring to prevent misuse—Railways can disable terminals immediately if malpractices occur 

Advantages: 

• 🕒 Extended Hours: YTSK counters often operate longer than traditional PRS counters (e.g., 8:30 am–10 pm vs. 8 am–8 pm)
  
  

• 🎟️ Inclusive Access: Serves passengers without internet access or those unfamiliar with online booking.
  
  

• 💼 Public–Private Model: Enables more centers via PPP, increasing availability of booking counters even beyond station premises.
  
  

Disadvantages:

• 💰 Higher Charges: YTSKs levy service charges (₹30 for Sleeper/2S, ₹40 for AC), which are higher than standard PRS counters
  
  

• 🎯 Tatkal Disadvantage: Tatkal bookings open later than railway counters or IRCTC, leading to disadvantage during high-demand periods
  
  

• 💸 High Entry Barriers: Aspiring licensees must meet financial commitments—₹1.6 L system access per terminal, ₹2–5 L deposit, and ₹2–5 L registration fee depending on circulars and modifications.
  
  

• 🧾 Limitations on Service: Cannot issue concession tickets (except for senior citizens), no block booking, and limited cancellation ability (I
  
  

🚆 Final Word

YTSKs have helped decongest station counters, extended ticket booking hours, and brought railway ticketing closer to communities. They serve as a reliable option for users outside major stations, especially those uncomfortable with online booking. However, they come with higher charges, operational conditions, and limitations compared to direct PRS or IRCTC booking methods.

Key Points Summary: 

1. YTSK stands for Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra

2. Registration Fees : Rs. 2 Lakhs (One Time, Non Refundable)

3. System Access Charges Rs. 1.6 Lakhs per Terminal per Annum

4. Security Deposit: Rs. 1 Lakh per Terminal (up to Rs. Lakh maximum)

5. Revenue sharing: 25% of Service charge to YTSK

6. Service Charges Rs. 30 per Ticket (Non AC), Rs. 40 Per Ticket (AC)

7. Tenure: 3 Years 

8. Working hours: 8 AM to 10 PM

End

Freight Incentives - March 2025 - Titbits

 

Freight Incentives - March 2025 - Titbits

• Source: Important policy measures for freight customers issued by Rates branch (Commercial Dept), Railway Board (Web page of Traffic Commercial Directorate of IR Website) & www.fois.indianrailways.gov.in 

• Freight Incentive schemes are 1. Liberalised Automatic Freight Rebate Scheme for traffic loaded in TEFD (Traditional Empty Flow Direction) 2. MGR - Merry Go Round, 3. Concession on Short Lead Traffic, 4. STS (Station To Station) Rates etc

• TEFD -Traditional Empty Flow Direction -  Rates Circular No. 9 of 2024

• MGR - Merry Go Round - Concession on movement of coal traffic in closed circuit - Rates Circular No. 7 of 2016 - extended up to 30.04.2025

• Short lead concession -  up to 100 kms - Rates Circular 20 of 2016

• STS (Station To Station) Rates - Concession granted on incremental traffic over benchmark NTKM (Net Tonne Kilo Meter) - Rates Circular 15 of 2022

Transportation Product:

• Transportation Products - Consists of Block Rake, Mini Rake, Two / Multi Point Rake & Cargo Aggregator Transportation Produce - Rates Circular No. 3 of 2024

• Block Rake - Train carrying notified number of wagons for a single destination. 

• Mini Rake - Short rake composed of a lesser number of wagons than specified for a Block Rake. 

• Two / Multi Point Rake - Trains carrying Wagons destined to two or more than two destinations respectively. 

• Cargo transportation product - facilitates cargo aggregation and expands the commodity basket of Indian Railways. 

Commodity Classification:

• At present commodities have been classified in 19 different classes

• Important criteria for charging freight  - “What the commodity can Bear”.  The factors are transportation characteristics of different commodities like loadability, value of the commodity, raw or finished, essential commodities etc. 

• Authority: Goods Tariff No. 49 - Part I (vol.II) and Part II

PCC - Permissible Carrying Capacity (of Wagons) 

 

• PCC has been fixed for different routes based on permissible axle load for these routes and wagons both. 

• PCC = Chargeable weight of the Wagons  (for optimum utilisation of the carrying capacity of the Wagons) 

Dynamic Pricing Policy:

 

• Demand Management Charges includes Busy Season charge, Congestion charge, Development surcharge, Supplementary charge etc.

• It varies according to the Season, Routes, Economic activities. 

RORO - Roll On Roll Off

 

• A Service model  

• Loaded / Empty trucks similar to container / Automobile traffic drive in and off the bogies for transportation of various commodities by Rail 

• Door to Door service 

• Reducing the congestion on the Roads 

• RORO - Notified as a Commodity in Goods Tariff 

• Free time - 3 Hours (for Loading / Unloading)

• Authority: Rates Circular 17 of 2022 

DFC - Dedicated Freight Corridor: 

 

• DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd)  - granted the status of Railway Administration. 

• The Commercial Rules of IR  - applicable to DFCCIL  - mutatis mutandis like a Zonal Railway till IR is the sole operator. 

• To capture the new freight segment in Intra -  DFCCIL Traffic, the following measures have been taken:  

• Concessions

• Special Rates for Intra 

• Waiver of Demurrage / Wharfage

• RORO Movement 

Container Traffic: 

• Private Container operators  - permitted to handle their rakes at Railway owned Terminals by notifying as CRT - Container Rail Terminal, on payment of  TAC - Terminal Access Charge

• Guidelines are laid down for Free time, stacking charges, detention charges, Ground usage charges and waiver thereof. 

• Haulage charges  - Transportation of Containers in privately owned wagons by Rail - Two types of Rates 

1. FAK (Freight All Kinds) - Haulage charge per TEU (Twenty foot Equivalent Unit) - All commodities other than few notified in CCR

2. CCR - Container Class Rate - Few notified commodities 

• Haulage charges - Telescopic basis under Hub & Spoke system of movement.

 

• New Initiatives to promote Container Business are: 

1. Haulage charge for cube containers 

2. Haulage charge for Double stack Dwarf container, 

3. Round trip based charging in case of ultra short lead, etc.

Registration of Wagons:

• Customer can register demand for wagons on payment of WRF - Wagon Registration Fee

• WRF exemptions:  

• Premier customers (Gold & Silver card holders)

• Container Traffic 

• Military Traffic 

• Premium Indent scheme - facility of supply of Wagons on indicated date by the customer on collection of Premium charge. 

• e-RD - electronic Registration of Demand -  Registration of Demand for Wagons electronically. 

TMS - Terminal Management System: 

• Online Goods Balance Sheet 

• System based calculation of freight charges

• System based preparation of RR - Railway Receipt / Money Receipt / Demurrage & Wharfage bill / e CR - electronic Cash Remittance etc.

Sidings: 

 

• Two methods of freight charging: 

1. Up to serving station plus siding charge (movement between serving and siding) 

2. Through Distance basis 

• Siding charges - worked out on the basis of EHC - Engine Hour Cost and Average trip time for movement of Wagons / rake between serving station & siding. 

• EHC - notified by the RB on yearly basis for Diesel & Electric locomotives. 

• Through Distance basis - Freight  

•  Applicable for Block Rakes - going into the siding directly or indirectly with the Engine pulling or pushing.

• No detention to engines except for change of ends

• No separate shunting staff required exclusively for this purpose. 

• Freight is levied up to the buffer end of the siding / yard. 

Shunting Charge levied subject to:  

• Perform shunting operations in a siding. 

• Irrespective of the fact whether the siding is notified on through distance basis or otherwise. 

• On the basis of actual shunting time and EHC - Engine Hour Cost.  

Weighbridges: 

 

• All loading points are to be covered with Weighbridges. 

• Zonal Railways notify associate weighbridge and alternate associate weighbridge for each loading point. 

• Linked with FOIS - Freight Operations Information System. 

• Installation of Weighbridges by private parties. 

• Provision of pre-weighbin / Weightometer and Static Weighbridge with silo system at Private Sidings. 

Punitive charges: 

 

• Levied for Overloading.

• Exemption from mandatory Weighment for the following items subject to the fulfillment of the prescribed conditions are: 

1. Standard bags

2. HR/CR coil/sheets

3. Low density commodities like pet coke, met coke, nut coke, chuni, de-oiled cake

4. Empty container traffic

5. Containerised import traffic

6. Nepal bound traffic

7. Automobile wagons carrying motor vehicles 

Free time for Demurrage, Wharfage & Stabling charges and their waiver. 

 

• Demurrage charges - for detention of railway wagons beyond permissible free time. 

• Wharfage charges - for non removal of consignments at Railway premises beyond permissible free time

• Stabling charges - for detention of privately owned Wagons.  

Goods Shed: 

• Alternate Goods Shed - to incentivize the utilisation of the same, Non levy of Terminal charges for handling traffic at alternate Goods sheds.

• Notifying the Alternate Goods Shed - Zonal Railways are empowered.

• Loading / Unloading at Goods shed   - by Consignors or consignees only (not by Indian Railways)

• However as a gesture measure, IR provides the facilities of drinking water, toilets, bathing and resting facilities for labour at Goods sheds. 

• But Railways are not accountable for service conditions of labour including ID card, medical facility, railway pass, minimum wages, recognition of labour union etc. 

e-RD - electronic Registration of Demand for wagons 

 

• It has been in vogue since 2014. 

• Through FOIS portal (Freight Operations Information System)

• Customers can register and verify themselves on the e-Demand module of FOIS.

• Collecting WRF - Wagon Registration Fee electronically 

• Simpler, convenient & transparent process

eT-RR - electronic Transmission of Railway Receipt:

 

• It has been in vogue since 2019.

• User friendly and paperless transaction system 

• RR is transmitted electronically to the Rail customers

• The Consignor can transfer eT-RR  to the Consignee or registered user of his organisation through FOIS. 

• Delivery of consignment  - on a-surrender of eT-RR by the Consignee. 

• Applicable for rebooking and diversion of traffic. 

• eT-RR is transmitted electronically to the Destination station as well as Accounts office for verification purposes. 

Digital payments - Two types:

1. E-Payment system: 

• Collection of freight charges directly from the customer’s Bank A/c 

• Tripartite agreement between Customer, Bank & Railways. 

• Quadripartite agreement - Allowed Handling agent of customer and Private Banks.

• All Nationalised/Public Sector Banks, HDFC, AXIS, ICICI & Kotak Mahindra banks are permitted. 

  

2.  Online Payment: 

• Launched in 2021 June

• Via SBI payment gateway through Internet Banking, RTGS, NEFT, Credit / Debit Card, UPI. 

• Available round the clock on all 7 days in a week. 

• For Payment of Freight and ancillary charges

FBD - Freight Business Development:

 

• Launched in 2021 December

• Digital facility

• No need for manual applications by Rail customers for different activities. 

• Customer can upload his signed application and the system will forward such applications to the concerned Railway authorities (for stacking permission, rebooking, diversion, short of destination delivery, waiver of demurrage / wharfage charges, STS etc.  

RGP - Rail Green Points: 

• Launched in 2022 May.

• Assigning the customers for Carbon saving points as RGP - Rail Green Points

• Gives a “Feel Good Factor” to the freight customers and act motivate them to transport more by Rail.  

Dangerous goods: 

• Prescribed in Red Tariff

• Norms & Guidelines of IMDG - International Maritime Dangerous Goods

Social Obligations: 

• Transportation of relief materials to flood affected areas. 

• Essential commodities carried below the cost. 

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