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‘Lost’ railway wagon takes 3 years, 8 months to reach destination only 1,300 kms away
Uttar Pradesh-based trader Manoj Kumar Gupta had ordered a consignment of compost worth Rs 10 lakh in November 2014. While 20 wagons reached their destination in Basti from Visakhapatnam, one wagon got seemingly lost in transit.
In a dubious record set by the Indian Railways, they booked a consignment on November 10, 2014 ,but delivered it only on July 25, 2018 – a full three years and eight months later.
The fertiliser-loaded wagon booked in Visakhapatnam for delivery in Basti covered the distance of around 1,300 kilometres in almost four years, said Uttar Pradesh-based trader Manoj Kumar Gupta, who had lost all hope of getting the compost worth Rs 10 lakh.
“While I had booked 21 wagons of compost, only 20 reached my destination in time. However, one of the wagons presumably got lost, forcing me to approach the railways for compensation,” said Gupta, who was handed over his consignment of 1,236 sacks of compost three days back, on Wednesday.
“After running from pillar to post for months, I lost hope and gave up the search to concentrate on my business,” said Gupta.
The wagon bearing number ‘107462’ was booked by a company Indian Potash Limited (IPL), confirmed officials of North Eastern Railways (NER).
“The goods were fortunately found to be safe and has been handed over to the consignee. An enquiry has been ordered into the delay,” said Sanjay Yadav, chief public relation officer (CPRO), NER, the railway zone that owns the wagon.
“The wagon was lost in transit. When the matter came to light recently, we launched an exercise to trace it,” said Yadav, while also blaming Manoj Kumar Gupta for the inordinate delay.
“The consignee never tried to track the goods and hence it remained missing for so many months,” said Sanjay Yadav while insisting that the wagon was lying unattended in a yard at Vishakhapatnam itself.
“Possibly, the wagon was detached from the goods train as it may have been declared sick (unfit to ferry). But due to the apathy of officials, the wagon was left unreported,” said Sanjay Yadav.
