Rates Circular No.

21 of 2007
Government of India
Ministry of Railways
(Railway Board)

No.TC-I/2005/201/2 Pt.B New Delhi, dt.8.3.2007

General Managers (Commercial)

General Managers (Operating)
All Indian Railways

Sub: Wharfage and Stacking rules

Ref: Board’s under mentioned letters
• TC-I/83/201/14 dt.13.1.1986
• TC- I/89/201/1 dt.8.9.1989
• TC- I/89/201/1 dt.7.7.1994
• TC- I/91/201/7 dt.19.7.1995
• TC- I/2000/201/4 dt.12.5.2000
• TC- I/2005/201/2 dt.19.12.2005
*****
It has been decided to revise the Rules for levy of Wharfage charge and advance stacking of
goods at railway premises as stipulated below.

1 Wharfage Charge

1.1 Wharfage charge should be levied on goods/consignment not removed from railway premises
after the expiry of free time (Section VI of Railways Act 1989). No Wharfage will be levied on
the consignment held by Railway administration on lien in terms of Section 83 of Railways Act
1989.

2 Classification of Railway Premises

2.1 Railway Premises (Goods Sheds, Stations etc.) will be classified into three groups as prescribed
below on the basis of average number of rakes dealt with during the period from 1st January to
30th April.

Group I More than 12 rakes per month

Group II 7 rakes to 12 rakes per month
Group III less than 7 rakes per month

2.2 Classification should be reviewed every year in the month of May based on the actual
performance during January – April and notified for the period July to June.

2.3 However, for the period April 2007 to June 2008, this classification should be done on the basis
of the traffic dealt with in January – February 2007 and should be notified before 21st March
2007 for the period April 2007 – June 2008.

3 Permissible free time for removal of goods from railway premises

3.1 Free time for removal of goods from railway premises will be as under.

(a) Goods stacked in goods sheds etc., waiting to be loaded in wagons/rake

 Group I 12 hours from the expiry of free time for loading of wagons/rake
Group II 15 hours from the expiry of free time for loading of wagons/rake
Group III 48 hours from the expiry of free time for loading of wagons/rake

(b) Goods unloaded from wagons/rake, waiting to be removed from goods shed etc.

Group I 12 hours from the expiry of free time for unloading of wagons/rake
Group II 15 hours from the expiry of free time for unloading of wagons/rake
Group III 48 hours from the expiry of free time for unloading of wagons/rake

3.2 National Holidays, namely 26th January, 15th August and 2nd October will not be reckoned while
calculating free time for removal of goods from railway premises and for charging Wharfage
except in the case of live stock, perishable goods and goods loaded/unloaded at such
stations/goods sheds which are notified as ‘Notified Station’ for removal of goods without
delay.

4 Wharfage Rates

Wharfage Charge will be levied on per wagon per hour basis, uniformly for all types of wagons
whether 4 wheeler or 8 wheeler or any other type.

(a) First 24 hours

Group I Rs 60 per wagon per hour or part thereof
Group II Rs 40 per wagon per hour or part thereof
Group III Rs 10 per wagon per hour or part thereof

(b) Beyond 24 hours

Group I Rs 90 per wagon per hour or part thereof
Group II Rs 60 per wagon per hour or part thereof
Group III Rs 15 per wagon per hour or part thereof

5 Wharfage rules in case of livestock booked under Goods Tariff

5.1 Free time for removal of livestock (booked under Goods Tariff) from Railway premises
will be as under:

(a) Livestock waiting to be loaded in wagons/rake

3 hours from the expiry of free time for loading of wagons/rake

(b) Livestock unloaded from wagons/rake, waiting to be removed from goods shed
etc.
3 hours from the expiry of free time for unloading of wagons/rake

5.2 Rate of wharfage charge in the case of livestock (booked under goods tariff) will be Re.5/- per
head per hour or part thereof. However, rail customers should remove their livestock from
railway premises within 12 hours of their unloading at destination station/goods shed. In case
rail customer fails to do so Railway administration may dispose them off in the manner
provided in clause(a) of sub-section (2) of Section 83 of Railways Act 1989.

6 Levy of Higher Wharfage Charges

In cases of excessive congestion or regularity of excessive congestion at any terminal,

CCM/DRM can notify Higher Wharfage Charges up to six times the prevailing rates applicable
for the first 24 hours. Higher Wharfage Charge should be implemented only after giving a due
notice of 48 hours and wide publicity, and should be applicable only for the notified period.
7 Guidelines for advance stacking at Railway premises

7.1 Advance stacking of goods at railway premises may be permitted by Zonal Railways without
levy of any charge for this purpose.

7.2 DRMs will notify detailed instructions for advance stacking of goods at stations on their
divisions in accordance with the guidelines prescribed herein. Such instructions should inter
alia include names of stations/goods sheds where advance stacking will be permitted, number
of days for which stacking can be permitted, type of commodities which can be
stacked/restricted etc.

7.3 Permission for advance stacking will be granted to such rail users only, who have indented for
the wagons.

7.4 Rail users desirous of availing the facility of advance stacking, will apply for advance stacking
inter alia mentioning the details of indent and giving an undertaking that the stacking will be
done at their own risk and responsibility. No claims for loss, damage etc. arising out of stacking
will be admissible.

7.5 Advance stacking will be permitted up to such maximum period as specified in the detailed
instructions issued by the Division in terms of Para 7.2 above. Divisions may specify different
stacking periods for different stations depending upon the number of rakes handled, but in no
case the stacking period will exceed five days.

7.6 Sr. DCMs, in consultation with Sr. DOMs, will be authorized to grant permission for advance
stacking up to a maximum period of five days. Permission for advance stacking may be granted
keeping in view the traffic pattern, number of rakes handled, availability of space etc. at the
station/goods shed concerned. Advance stacking should not lead to hold up of other inward and
outward traffic.

7.7 Wagons will be supplied against the registered indent only after expiry of the permitted time
for advance stacking or completion of stacking, whichever is earlier. After supply of wagons
and expiry of free time for loading, rules for levy of Wharfage charge will apply.

7.8 Once advance stacking permission has been granted, cancellation of indents will not be
permissible up to fifteen days from the 1st day of advance stacking. In case Rail User cancels
the indent within aforesaid period, stacking charge will be levied for the whole period of
stacking.

7.9 However, if a Rail User cancels his indent after fifteen days from the 1st day of advance
stacking and the wagons have not been supplied till such time, no stacking charge will be
levied. In such a case, consignment should be removed within 24 hours of the cancellation of
indent, else it will attract levy of Wharfage charge for period beyond 24 hours of the
cancellation of indent.

7.10 Records of particulars (e.g. date, time etc.) should be maintained in all cases where advance
stacking has been permitted.

7.11 No stacking charge will be levied till the supply of wagons even if supply is not done
immediately after completion of stacking or lapse of advance stacking period.

7.12 Stacking charge will be levied at the rates of Wharfage charge, as prescribed under Para 4 of
this Rates Circular and as amended from time to time.
7.13 Extant rules for waiver of Wharfage charge will continue to apply in the case of waiver of
stacking charge also.

8 This issues with the concurrence of Finance and Traffic Transport Directorates in the Ministry
of Railway.

9. These instructions will be effective w.e.f.1st of April 2007.

10. Illustrations with reference to various rules are given in the Appendix.

(N.K. Parsuramka)
Director Traffic Comml.(Rates)
Railway Board

No.TC-I/2005/201/2 Pt.B New Delhi, dt.8.3.2007

Copy to:
1. FA&CAOs, All Indian Railways
2. Dy.C&AG(Rlys), Room No.222, Rail Bhavan, New Delhi.

For Financial Commissioner

No.TC-I/2005/201/2 Pt.B New Delhi, dt.8.3.2007

Copy to:

1. Managing Director, CRIS, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-21.

2. Chief Admn. Officer, FOIS, N. Rly., Camp: CRIS, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-21.
3. Managing Director, KRCL, Belapur Bhavan, Sector-11, CBD Belapur, Navi
Mumbai-400614.
4. Director General, Railway Staff College, Vadodara
5. General Secy., IRCA, New Delhi.
6. Director, IRITM, Campus: Hardoi Bye-pass Road, Vill-Kanausi, P.O.-Manaknagar,
Lucknow-226011
7. Secretary, RRT, 5, Dr. P.V. Cherian Crescent Road, Egmore, Chennai-600105.
8. Director General (Rail Movement), Milrail (Railway Board Cell), Addl. Dte. Gen.
of Movements, General Staff Branch, Army H.Q., Sena Bhavan, New Delhi-1100011.
9. Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, Lucknow.
10. Managing Director, Pipavav Rail Corporation Ltd., Jeevan Tara Building, 1st
floor, Gate No.4, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110001
11. Principals/Zonal Railway Training Institute, Bhusaval/CR, Bhull/ER,
Alipurduar/NFR, Udaipur/NWR, Sini/SER, Muzaffarpur/ECR, Chandausi/NR, Maula Ali/SCR,
Tiruchirapalli/SR.

(N.K. Parsuramka)
Director Traffic Comml.(Rates)
Railway Board
Copy for information:

CRB, MT, FC, Railway Board

AM(T&C), AM(C&IS), AM(Vig), Adv(C), Adv(T), Adv(F), Adv(Infra), Adv(Safety), Railway Board
EDTC(R), EDPG, EDFM, EDPM, ED(T&C), EDTT(M), EDTT(S), EDTT(F), EDFC, EDVT, ED(S&E), ED(Plg),
ED(PPP), ED(PP), DTC(G), DPM, Dir(T&C), DFM, DFC,DDTC(R), Railway Board
TC(R), TC(CR), F(C), TT-III(F), Safety Branches, Railway Board
 Appendix
Illustrations with reference to Wharfage and Stacking rules

Para Illustration
No.
1.1 A loaded BCN rake has been placed at 0800 hours on 10.2.2007 at Group-I station. Free time for removal
of the consignment from railway premises will start after 1700 Hours (0800+9 hrs i.e. free time for
unloading of BCN rake). Wharfage charge will be levied if the consignment is not removed till 0500 hours
of 11.2.2007 (1700+12 hours = 29 Hours -2400 hours = 0500 hours of the next day)

4 In case unloaded consignment left behind is part of a wagon, Wharfage Charge will be levied
on wagon basis. For example: a BCN rake has been brought at group-I station for unloading
and if 20 cement bags each from 10 BCN wagons are left on the premise for 2 ½ hours beyond
free time, then Wharfage charge will be levied for ten BCN wagons. Wharfage charge will be
Rs.60*10 wagons*3 hours =Rs.1800/-.

In case of consignment brought at the station for loading, 60 ton will be equated as one
wagon. For example: Certain consignment has been brought at Group-I station for loading in
BOXN wagon. If 450 ton of the consignment is left over at railway premises for ten hours
beyond free time, left over consignment in terms of wagons will be 8 wagons (i.e.450 ton/60
ton= 7.5 wagons rounded off to 8 wagons). Wharfage charge will be Rs.60*8wagons*10 hours
=Rs.480/-.

6 In case CCM decides to impose Higher Wharfage Charge at a certain station of group-I category
during 10th May to 20th May, at four times the prevailing rates, rate for Higher Wharfage
charge will be Rs.240/- (i.e.Rs.60*4) per wagon per hour and it will be applicable during the
period 10th May-20th May.

7.8 Certain rail user has started advance stacking on 15th of June at 1000 hours. Cancellation of
indent is not permissible till 1000 hours of 30th of June. If he cancels his indent at 1400 hours
of 24th of June, Stacking charge will be levied from 1000 hours of 15th of June till the time he
vacates the railway premise, even if wagons have not been supplied.

7.9 Certain rail user has started advance stacking on 10th of January. He cancels his indent at 1700
hours of 27th of January and wagons have not been supplied till then. No stacking charge will
be levied till 1700 hours of 28th of January. But he will have to remove his consignment by
1700 hours of 28th of January, else wharfage charge will be levied from 1700 hours of 28th of
January.

7.11 Certain rail user has started advance stacking on 12th April as per advance stacking permission
wherein four days permission has been granted. Advance stacking permission will lapse on 15th
April. Wagons are supplied on 19th of April. No stacking charge is leviable till 19th of April &
expiry of free time for loading of such wagons.