TRANSFORMING LUGGAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIAN RAILWAYS : A SOLUTION FOR A BETTER JOURNEY EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The Indian Railways network serves as a vital transportation backbone, connecting millions of passengers across the vast expanse of the country. It is a known fact that cumbersome luggage management has always been a big problem in train travels, leading to personal fatigue, passengers’ inconvenience and issues regarding safety. In this regard, the thesis recommends an extensive luggage handling mechanism that would change the experience of travelling for passengers of Indian Railways. The study employed various research methods like surveys, interviews and observations in order to identify several key pain points such as inadequate space for storing luggage, physical tiredness from carrying heavy bags and frequency of losing bags. The proposed solution is characterised by self-service kiosks in stations where passengers can easily have their baggage checked-in before it is weighed, labeled, scanned and placed into specific trolleys according to its destination trains and platforms. In this system redesigned cars facilitate speedy loading of luggage at the source while porters at the destination quickly unload the luggage and stage it so that it may be picked up by customers without strain. A sophisticated Luggage Handling System (LHS) keeps track of all movements made by each baggage item throughout its journey making sure there are smooth operations with minimal delays or loses incurred. At the origin station, luggage is efficiently loaded into redesigned luggage cars, while at the destination, porters promptly unload and stage the luggage for hassle-free passenger collection. This system also addresses the well-being and fair treatment of porters by introducing tech-driven processes and job security measures.