Railways Act, 1989
97. Goods carried at owner's risk rate.
Notwithstanding anything contained in section 93, a railway
administration shall not be responsible for any loss, destruction, damage,
deterioration or non-delivery in transit, of any consignment carried at owner's
risk rate, from whatever cause arising, except upon proof, that such loss,
destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery was due to negligence or
misconduct on its part or on the part of any of its servants:
Provided that-
(a) where the whole of such consignment or the whole of any
package forming part of such consignment is not delivered to the consignee or
the endorsee and such non-delivery is not proved by the railway administration
to have been due to fire or to any accident to the train; or
(b) where in respect of any such consignment or of any package
forming part of such consignment which had been so covered or protected that
the covering or protection was not readily removable by hand, it is pointed out
to the railway administration on or before delivery that any part of that
consignment or package had been pilfered in transit, the railway administration
shall be bound to disclose to the consignor, the consignee or the endorsee how
the consignment or the package was dealt with throughout the time it was in its
possession or control, but if negligence or misconduct on the part of the
railway administration or of any of its servants cannot be fairly inferred from
such disclosure, the burden of proving such negligence or misconduct shall lie
on the consignor, the consignee or the endorsee.