Now, railways to offer baggage insurance

New Delhi, April 19

Aiming at providing passengers more facilities for booking tickets online, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) is planning to offer baggage insurance service to them.

Under this, a customer will be offered additional services such as insurance coverage for baggage while booking e-tickets on the IRCTC website.

Under the offer, the passenger can claim the insurance money in case of loss or theft of the baggage. Goods such as laptop, mobile phone or valuable articles will be covered as part of the travel insurance package.

The tie-up is being formalised with New India Assurance with the details being worked out.

“We are formalising a tie-up with a leading insurance company for offering baggage insurance service to e-ticket customers,” said a senior IRCTC official, adding “a customer will be given an option to avail the insurance coverage, which will not be mandatory”.

The insurance premium will depend on the length of the journey and also the class of travel.

“We are trying to make the offer as the best travel insurance services for train passengers by including other options such as hospitalisation during the journey,” he said.

With over 2 million passengers travelling every day and about 52 per cent opting for e-ticketing, the IRCTC hopes a significant section of passengers will opt for the insurance service.

“It will be a win-win situation for both the customers and IRCTC,” he added.

Besides, the passengers are now offered e-catering and concierge services while booking tickets on certain trains and routes.

“We are expanding the e-catering facility to more trains as many reputed eatery or joints have also joined the e-catering list,” the official said.

To facilitate last-mile connectivity to tourists and passengers, the IRCTC has launched concierge services at certain selected stations in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on a pilot basis. — PTI