Organisation Of Commercial Department:

In the Railway Board, the Commercial organization is headed by an Additional Member(Commercial) under Member (Traffic). It has two directorates viz., Traffic (Commercial) Directorate and Tourism & Catering Directorate which are headed by Additional Members. The Additional Members are assisted by Executive Directors, Directors/Joint Directors and
Deputy Directors.

Various Directorates available at Board level are :
  • Traffic Commercial (Rates), Passengers Marketing, Freight Marketing & Public Grievances those are headed by Exec. Directors.
  • Traffic Commercial (General) and Catering & Claims, headed by Directors.

At the Zonal level, Chief Commercial Manager heads the Commercial department in the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India. He acts as the Principal Head of Department and is assisted by Officers in Senior Administrative grade/Junior Administrative grade/Senior Scale/ Assistant Scale.

The CCM(PHOD) is assisted by :
  • Chief Commercial Manager (Passenger Service) to deal with coaching traffic, passengers amenities, customer complaints, etc.
  • Chief Commercial Manager (Passenger Marketing) to deal with Computerised reservation, clearance of passenger traffic, etc.
  • Chief Commercial Manager(Freight Marketing) to deal with the marketing of freight services and refund of fare/freight.
  • Chief Claims Officer to deal with claims matters, claims prevention
  • Chief Commercial Manager or Deputy Chief Commercial Manager (Passenger Services) to deal with catering and vending services, commercial publicity advertisements, ticket checking, etc. At the Divisional level, Sr. Divisional Commercial Manager heads the commercial branch with the assistance of Divisional Commercial Manager and Assistant Commercial Manager.
  • They are working under the administrative control of Divisional Railway Manager and responsible to the Chief Commercial Manager for the efficient functioning of their respective disciplines (passenger, parcel and goods traffic) at the divisional level.
BOOKS OF REFERENCE:

IRCA COACHING TARIFF – Part – I, Vol. – I :
This contains general rules for the conveyance of passengers and rules and conditions for the conveyance of luggage of passengers, etc., by passenger trains in local & through booking over Indian Government Railways and other Railways (Party to the IRCA).

IRCA COACHING TARIFF – Part – I Vol. – II :
This book contains various IRCA travel concessions given to various kinds of persons and general rules governing the same. This book also contains rules regarding the running of special trains.

IRCA COACHING TARIFF – Part – I, Vol. – III :
This book contains general rules for the booking, carriage, and delivery of Parcels, animals and birds, species, treasure, vehicles and carriages, intoxicating drugs and contraband articles by coaching trains, rules regarding charging of wharfage and demurrage on coaching traffic, PCEV etc. are available.

IRCA COACHING TARIFF Part – II :

This book contains the calculated rounded off fares for different classes for distances up to 5000 km. It also gives the procedure for calculating the fare for various classes for a distance beyond 5000 km. The “Station Station” fares for Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and August Kranti Express trains operated over various
sections of the Indian Railways are also given.

IRCA COACHING TARIFF – Part – III :

This book contains various parcel rates viz., Scales R, P & S up to 5000 km. These rates are shown for 10 kg. and multiples of 10 kg.

IRCA COACHING TARIFF – Part – IV :

This book contains rates for certain descriptions of Coaching traffic such as rates for Motor Car, Motor Tractors, Aeroplanes, etc.

IRCA MILITARY TARIFF Vol. – I :
This is a common book published for both Coaching and Goods traffic offered by the Defence Department. It contains special rules, contract rates and special conditions for the conveyance of military personnel and stores belonging to the military department. It gives details of military warrants, concession orders, certificates and procedures for their acceptance at Stations.

IRCA MILITARY TARIFF Vol. – II :

This book contains special rules, rates, and conditions for the conveyance of explosives and dangerous goods belonging to the military department.

IRCA RED TARIFF :

This is a common publication for Coaching & Goods traffic containing detailed rules for acceptance, booking, carriage, and delivery of all explosives and other dangerous goods.

COMMERCIAL MANUAL Vol. I :

This book is published by the Railway Board and contains rules connected with Coaching traffic, Booking and carriage of animals, birds, Railway’s Monetary liability and prescription of Percentage Charge, etc. with procedures for performing day to day work at stations.

INDIAN RAILWAY CODE FOR TRAFFIC (COMMERCIAL) DEPARTMENT :

This book is published by the Railway Board and contains principles and policy directives of the Board. The provisions included in this Code are mandatory.

RAILWAY MAP OF INDIA :
This map contains the entire Railway system of the country with vertical and horizontal lines running across making many squares. With the indication of the square number, it is easy to locate a particular station in the map by which the shortest route etc. can be found.

  • Identical colors used to indicate different zonal railways
  • Different thickness of lines to indicate the Gauge viz., BG, MG, NG
  • Name of zonal railway appears along the routes to identify the zone
  • Name of Interchange Junction printed in red and other stations in black
  • Identical colors used to indicated states over which the zonal Rly. passes.

IRCA ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RAILWAY STATIONS :

This book contains names of all Railway Stations, Out-agencies, City Booking Offices, City Booking Agencies, and Sidings. These names are arranged an innalphabetical order for easy reference. Against each station name, Alphabetical code of that station, Numerical code number, Zone, Gauge, Civil district, types of traffic that can be handled in that particular station, Authorised spelling of the station, Square particulars for easy location of any station in the map, are given.

LOCAL DISTANCE TABLES :

Each Railway publishes this book separately. This book is used to find out the distance between any two stations situated in the particular zone. This book facilitates calculation of distance over stations in local booking.

JUNCTION DISTANCE TABLES :
This book is used for calculating distances for through traffic. This book gives distances for all stations in a particular Railway from the interchanging points.

RATE ADVICE :

All the draft notifications issued by the Zonal Railway over a month are consolidated and published in the form of the booklet by the CCM. These booklets are supplied to the stations through their respective DCMs to ensure notification of all the circular instructions to the station staff. They are serially numbered like “Rate Advice No. 1 of 2001, Rate Advice No. 2 of 2001, etc.” so that the station staff can call for the copies from the DCM in case of non-receipt of copies if any.

JOINT PROCEDURAL ORDER :

This is issued by the CCM and FA & CAO jointly on matters connected with accounts and commercial departments.

CCM CIRCULARS AND DIVISIONAL CIRCULARS :

These circulars are issued by the Headquarters office & Divisional office. Matters related to the working of the commercial branch, changes in rates or procedures are notified through serially numbered circulars. The stations should call for the copies of these circulars in case of non-receipt & preserve the same for future reference.

RAILWAY GAZETTE :

It is issued by the GM giving information on matters of Personnel, Transportation, or Commercial Depts. under the guidance of staff. Details of latest issued correction slip to various tariffs & manuals are also published for the information of the staff, so that they can call for the copies from the divisions.

RAILWAY TIMETABLE & TRAINS AT A GLANCE :

Time Tables are available for sale to the public at important Railway stations and authorized bookstalls. This is published by the Zonal Railways once a year, effective from 1st July. Guidelines for reservation, refunds, break-journey rules, various amenities provided at stations, timings of trains, fares for various
classes, for Rajdhani / Shatabdi Express trains, Reservation quota allotted to wayside stations, etc. are given. Another timetable containing timings for important trains operated over all Indian Railways viz., “Trains at a glance” is also published once in a year.

Contents of Timetable :

  • Headquarters and jurisdiction of divisions
  • Station Index
  • Train Index
  • Diagrammatic representation of table numbers for each route
  • Detailed timings of trains – Express and Ordinary separately
  • Cross-reference of tables
  • Through/Sectional carriage services
  • Timings and charges for buses for out-agencies
  • Abstract timings of through trains at important trains
  • Air-conditioned coach services, etc.

FINDING OUT DISTANCE BETWEEN STATIONS :

Distance between two stations situated within one Zonal Railway: In Southern Railway Local Distance Table, three chapters are available showing the distance between,

  1. Any two stations available in one section
  2. Any two junction stations with route details
  3. Each station with its adjacent junctions on either side

By referring the required chapters the distance between any two stations in one Zonal Railway can be found out. Use the index to find out the page numbers in which the required station names are printed.

The distance between two stations situated in different Zonal Railways :

Alphabetical list of Railway stations and the Railway map of India may be referred to find out the Zonal Railways and their Junctions of the interchange. Distance from starting station to the Junction interchange is taken from the Junction Distanced Table of the originating Zonal Railway. The distance between the Junctions of interchange through which the traffic crosses may be found out from the concerned Zonal Railways Junctions Distance Tables. Distance from the Junction of the interchange to the destination station can also be found out by referring the destination Railway Junction Distance Table. The total of all the above will be the required distance.

ADJUSTED DISTANCE or INFLATED DISTANCE :

On certain sections where the cost of construction and maintenance is high, the Railway is forced to increase the fare & freight charges, to cope up with the increased expenditure. The actual distance will be inflated and the =fare/freight will be worked out.
e.g. Mettuppalayam – UAM section & Many sections over KRCL.

VARIOUS TYPES OF RATES :

Telescopic Rate: As the distance of travel increases the basis of fare/rate decreases.
Flat Rate: Rates quoted proportionately to the distance of travel e.g. season tickets.
Contract Rate: Rages are quoted irrespective of distance e.g. Military traffic & RMC.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT (IRCM 101)

  • Sale of Transportation provided by Railways
  • Creating and developing traffic
  • Securing and Maintaining friendly relations with customers.
  • Generally to cultivate good public relations
  • Fix rates, fares, and other charges
  • Correct collection, account, and remittance of traffic receipts

DUTIES OF COMMERCIAL STAFF (IRCM 104, 105):

All Commercial Staff must –

  • Be conversant with relevant rules and regulations laid down in Tariffs/Manuals
  • Be alert, prompt, helpful, courteous and obliging
  • Furnish correct information or direct Enquirer to the official who can help.
  • Attend to the comfort of all passengers, especially women and children
  • unaccompanied by male members.
  • Maintain a close watch on the movement of traffic and suggest ways and means promote the flow of traffic to the Railways.
  • Pay special attention to general cleanliness of the platforms, refreshment rooms,
    waiting rooms, waiting halls, bathrooms, lavatories etc. · Give their names, designation without hesitation.
  • Not accept or solicit gratuities
  • Not be in a state of intoxication on duty
  • Not smoke on station platforms while on duty, or in uniform.
  • Report for duty in time as prescribed. (107)
  • Wear clean uniform, wherever prescribed, and put on distinguishing number badge, armlet, headgear, were supplied and be smart in appearance. (109)
SOME DEFINITIONS :

FARE: The charge levied for carriage of passengers.
PASSENGERS: Person traveling with a valid pass or ticket.
LOCAL TRAFFIC: Traffic originating & terminating at stations within the zone, without passing over another railway.
FOREIGN TRAFFIC: Traffic carried over two or more railways.
STATION MASTER: Includes Station Supdt., or any other supervisor in charge of booking, parcels, goods, reservation offices.