Chennai: Lost baggage found, but lie unclaimed

Chennai: Lost baggage or parcels, lying unclaimed with platform inspectors for over 30 days are stored at lost property office (LPO), but a lack of awareness among masses leave them gathering dust until railways auctions them, said railway and RPF officials.

“Once found, lost baggage, unclaimed bags at stations, unclaimed parcels or LT luggage are collected from various stations, checked by RPF bomb disposal squad, and kept with the platform inspector at Chennai Central for a period of 30 days. The contents of the baggage are listed out,” said an RPF official.

“In case contact details are present on the package, the owner is informed and asked to collect it from the inspector’s office,” he continued. “If unclaimed even after 30 days, they are moved to LPO where, post a period of time, a tender is called for auction of unclaimed articles.”

Based on the quoted amount, the article is handed over to the person willing to buy it. Every month, two auctions are held at the LPO for these items. Also accrued on the baggage stored at LPO is a wharfage amount of Rs 10 per hour, which a claimant has to pay while collecting it. “Some articles accrue huge wharfage amount so people don’t bother collecting them,” said an official.

The LPO at Salt Coutars is a shed that is over 100 years old, and one can see items like clothes, kitchenware, bicycles, and packages containing shoes, bikes, housed there until they find a new owner. Perishable commodities and items that would not fetch any amount to the railways are disposed of earlier.