THE RAILWAYS ACT, 1989 – Chapter XI – Section 93

Chapter XI
Responsibilities of Railway Administrations as Carriers

93. General Responsibility of a Railway Administration as Carrier of Goods
Save as otherwise provided in this Act, a railway administration shall be responsible for the loss, destruction, damage or deterioration in transit, or non-delivery of any consignment, arising from any cause except the following, namely:-

(a) Act of God;
(b) Act of war;
(c) Act of public enemies;
(d) Arrest, restraint or seizure under legal process;
(e) Orders or restrictions imposed by the Central Government or a State Government or by an officer or authority subordinate to the Central Government or a State Government authorized by it in this behalf;
(f) Act or omission or negligence of the consignor or the consignee or the endorsee or the agent or servant of the consignor or the consignee or the endorsee;
(g) Natural deterioration or wastage in bulk or weight due to inherent defect, quality or vice of the goods;
(h) Latent defects;
(i) Fire, explosion or any unforeseen risk;

Provided that even where such loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery is proved to have arisen from any one or more of the aforesaid causes, the railway administration shall not be relieved of its responsibility for the loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery unless the railway administration further proves that it has used reasonable foresight and care in the carriage of the goods.

Forward reference⇒Section 94