New Delhi: Aiming at providing passengers more facilities, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) is planning to offer baggage insurance service to them.
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Under this, a customer will be offered additional services such as insurance coverage for baggage while booking e-tickets on the IRCTC website.
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The passenger can claim the insurance money in case of loss or theft of the baggage.
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Goods such as laptop, mobile phone or valuable articles will be covered as part of the travel insurance package.
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The tie-up is being formalised with New India Assurance with the details being worked out.
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“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 mandatoryâ€.
The insurance premium will depend on the length of the journey and also the class of travel.
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“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.
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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.
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“It will be a win-win situation for both the customers and IRCTC,†he added.
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Besides, the passengers are now offered e-catering and concierge services while booking tickets on certain trains and routes.
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“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.