Hi Everybody,
My name is Christopher Michael and I would like to share with you a harrowing experience I went through at Indian Railways (New Delhi) yesterday (7th June 2009) while sending my motorbike to Bangalore. Like most of the government offices here also I found that the officials were hand in glove with illegal touts (THERE IS A HUGE BOARD PUT UP WHICH SAYS NOT TO DEAL WITH ANY AGENTS, how ironic???)
Therefore, those of you who would want to send the motorbike by train (without self), just follow these simple steps, 'cause believe me NOBODY will help you out there.
1) Just ignore all the touts who approach you and lure you to book through them.
2) Go to the Platform # 16, there will be a humongous queue, buy a ticket for the desired destination.
3)Get a guy (they'll find you) who can gunny pack the bike (I paid Rs. 180 for the same, including the name board charges (which reads NEW DELHI to BANGALORE)
4)Empty the petrol tank..
5)Fill up a form opposite Counter # 7 with the following documents- Copy of RC book and a Copy of Driving License.
6) Walk towards the place where all the gunny packed bikes are parked, you'll find a guy in railway uniform and show him the form. He will check whether the tank is empty or not and then ticks the form.
7) Go back to the agent opposite Counter 7 for his signature
8) Go the Counter 7 and submit the form with the documents and the ticket and pay for the charges. He will return your ticket with a pink acknowledgement reciept.
9) Go back to the place where the bikes are parked show the pink receipt to the guy there. He will write down the number of the receipt on the gunny bag on your bike. Keep the pink receipt and the ticket with you.
10) Once your bike reaches the destination show you have to show the original pink recipt along with the ticket and only then take the delivery of the bike.
Costs incurred
1) Gunny pack charges (Rs.180)
2) Ticket Charges to Bangalore (Rs. 300)
3) Transport Charges to Bangalore (Rs. 1950)
4) 1% of Bike Value (Rs. 200)
5) Total (2630)
The procedure is very simple but unfortunately because of our system, nothing moves without the extra buck and nobody cares to CARE. I hope this has helped...
Warm Regards,
Chris