Indian Railways – How to File Online Railway Compensation Claims for Goods, Parcel and Freight Refunds?

Indian Railway network transport is one of the three busiest routes in India. It is the backbone of the logistics sector. Almost all commodities including bulk commodities like Iron ore, coal, Iron & Steel, Petroleum products, food grains (agricultural products), Cement, Fertilizers, and other commodities under Freight Business are carried out by the Freight trains of Indian Railways.

The parcels, luggage, goods, and personal logistics are also carried and delivered by the Indian Railways under Parcel Business. Due to this fast and more eco-friendly transportation medium, its demand is increasing day by day.

Some issues, like logistics getting damaged, lost, or shortage in quantity or non-delivery of parcels/goods or luggage, are faced by consumers. For such problems, incidents, and irresponsibility, you can request online a compensation claim and also lodge a complaint to the concerned claim authorities/nodal officers of the division.

The Categories of Refund Claims are:

• Compensation Claim for Damage, Shortage, Loss, Non-delivery of goods/parcel/luggage
• For Freight – Goods refund claim
• Waiver/Refund of Demurrage/Wharfage
• Railway Coaching Booking Fare Refund claim

For these categories of Indian Railway refund claims, you can also register a complaint to the concerned division and railway zone nodal claims officers to get redressal of your issues and monetary compensation claims.

If you are not satisfied with the final settlement of the claim and redressal of the complaint, the Railway Claims Tribunal is the apex quasi-judicial authority where you file an online petition to get a reasonable amount and acceptable verdict on the case.

Note – The details of the Indian Railway Claims Refund are verified by the Complaint Hub. You can use the given official information and links to request a refund and compensation claim. Also, read the instructions, procedure, and information about the claim offices, and contact details of the subsidiary claim authorities.

How to Claim Online for Goods Compensation, Parcel, and Freight Refunds?

Indian Railways has launched an online portal for Railways claims and refunds of the parcel, goods and freight services. Every customer or person who has booked the logistics, freight, or parcel services but has non-delivered, lost, damaged, or delivered with a shortage in quantity, and other goods issues, can request online claims and refunds.

The List of Customer or Claimant Services of Railway Claims & Freight Refund:

• Compensation Claim – Non-delivery/partial delivery of goods, parcels, or luggage; for shortage, loss, or damage of logistics goods or parcels.
• Goods Refund Claim – for freight refund, bulk commodities or logistics loss/damage.
• Request to Waver/ Refund of Demurrage/ Wharfage.
• Request to Railway coaches refund (for bookings of passenger coaches as per the guidelines and rules of the Indian Railways)

These are the categories for which claimant/consumer can file an online claim to get fair and reasonable compensation or refund for the monetary loss as per the Railway Claims & Refund policy and rules.

Tips – Have any concerns about the Railway Claims and Refunds or are not satisfied with the final settlement? You may first lodge a complaint to Nodal Claim officers and NR Cell. The details are provided below.

Procedure to File Online Railway Claims and Refunds

Step 1: Visit the links for online registration of compensation claims and refund for freights:

• Request for Railway Coaching Refund (Refund for the booking of Railway coaches)
• Online Railway Compensation Claim (for Damage/ Shortage/ Non-delivery of goods/ parcel/ luggage including Refund of Freight/logistics or commodities)
• Apply for Goods Refund Claim

Step 2: Open the online claim or refund form, select the appropriate category and nature of claims/refund, and fill out the asked information with details of required documents/invoices. Read more instructions and required details to fill out the online compensation form & claims below.

Step 3: After the successful submission of the online form, note the notice/claim number (for compensation of parcel/goods/luggage) or refund number (for freights) to track the status.

Step 4: Visit the above same links of Railways Claims and Refund to track status of submitted claim & refund:

Note – If you are not satisfied with the final settlement of the claim or refund or delayed/rejected by the Railway Claims & Refund authority, you may file a complaint to the nodal claim offices and concerned Not Received cells of the Freight business.

Also Read: Helplines to Register Online Complaint to IRCTC (Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation Ltd.)

For Online Registration of Compensation Claim

Category: Compensation claim for Damage/ Shortage/ Non-delivery of goods/ parcel/ luggage by Indian Railways.

I. Instruction For Online Compensation Claim Form:

• Read the caution/notice as shown in the pop-up window – Claims.Indianrail.gov.in says – “As per section 149 of the Railways Act, 1989, if any person requiring compensation from a railway administration for loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery of any consignment makes a claim which is false or which he knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.“

II. Select these mandatory fields in the online form:

• Select the Nature of the Claim – breakage, damage, damage by wet, leakage, non-delivery, partial short, rotten, SD & PS, or short delivery.
• Select Invoice Nature – railway receipt, parcel waybill, freight station ledger, soldier ticket, luggage ticket, railway materials (goods/parcels), or inland waybill.

III. Enter the mandatory information:

IV. Provide Personal Details: Enter name, address, and other asked personal details/ID proof with your remark (description of the issue).

V. Submit the Form: After successful submission of the online compensation to Indian Railways and note down the claim/notice number to track the status of the requested claim.

For Online Registration of Goods-Refund Case

Category: Claim for Refund of Freight (under Freight train business of Indian Railways).

I. Select these Mandatory Fields in the Online Refund Form:

• Select Refund Category and Sub-Category – refund of freight (excess payment, weightage, overcharging, etc.), refund under miscellaneous heads, refund arising out of rebate/concession, or refund of demurrage and wharfage.
• Select the Case Nature – Government, Department, Food Corp. of India, Defence, Undertakings, Public Coal – SEB, Petroleum, or Others.
• Select Invoice Nature – Railway Receipt or Parcel Waybill.
• Select the date of booking, and enter the invoice number.

II. Fill out the mandatory information:

III. Enter the following asked details in the online form:

• Charges and Amount Details:
  1. Undercharge paid amount, date, and paid at the station
  2. Penal charged amount, date, and charge at the station
• Freight payment date and reweighment at the station.
• Party name, contact details (mobile no., e-mail, etc.), address, and other details.
• Enter remarks about the refund claim and also mention the reason to claim the refund.

IV. Upload Documents: Attach/upload a scanned copy of PWB/RR/LT (Optional).

V. Sumit Online Form: Click the submit button and note down the refund number after the successful submission of your form to request a refund claim. You can use this refund number to check the status of the goods refund (freight) and for future reference.

Note – If you have forgotten your Railway Claim/Refund number, visit the link below to find it.

Search Railway Claim/Refund No. and Check Status

You can check the status of a claim or resubmit your claim to Indian Railway for freight services by visiting the claim portal of the Railway.

Note – If you have any issue regarding the submission of a claim/refund to Indian Railway’s Claims & Refund department or your request is rejected, not satisfied/delayed in the final settlement then you may complain to Claim officers of the Railway Claims & Refund Department and Not Received (NR) Cell (for freight goods) of Zonal & Divisional headquarter Offices.

Tips – If you are not satisfied with the final order or settlement by the concerned authorities (NR Cell and Claim Officers), may file a petition/case to the Railway Claims Tribunal as per the specified rules & regulations under Indian Railways Act, 1989.

Also Read: File an Online Petition (E-DAAKHIL) to the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Consumer Court)

Frequently Asked Questions about Railway Claims and Refunds

Q. What type of claim or refund can be requested from Indian Railways?
A. You can submit an online compensation claim for goods, parcels, luggage, etc. that are damaged, broken, lost, not delivered, or partially delivered. For Freight goods/commodities, you can request an online claim for a freight refund by providing true details to the Indian Railways.

Q. Where can I challenge the unsatisfactory settlement of the claim/refund by the Claims Department of Indian Railways?
A. You can file a case/petition to the Railway Claims Tribunal as per the specified rules of the Indian Railways Act, 1989 to get reasonable compensation and refund of your goods, parcel, or freight goods/commodities.

Q. Who are the nodal authorities to redress the complaint about Railway Claims & Refunds?
A. You can lodge a complaint to the Claims Officers and Subsidiary Claims officers of the Claims Department of the Indian Railways by e-mail or written application. For the not received freight goods or partially received goods, you can register a complaint to the Not Received (NR) Cell of the Zonal or Head Office of Indian Railways. For concerns about freight business, you can contact nodal officers of the concerned divisions/zones.

Reference

• Indian Railways Act, 1989
• Notification on Claim by Indian Railways