89Power to declare notified stations

(1) The Central Government may, if it is satisfied that it is necessary that goods entrusted for carriage by train intended solely for the carriage of goods to any railway station should be removed without delay from such railway station, declare, by notification, such railway station to be a notified station for such period as may be specified in the notification:

Provided that before declaring any railway station to be a notified station under this sub-section, the Central Government shall have regard to all or any of the following factors, namely:--

(a) the volume of traffic and the storage space available at such railway station;

(b) the nature and quantities of goods generally booked to such railway station;

(c) the scope for causing scarcity of such goods by not removing them for long periods from such railway station and the hardship which such scarcity may cause to the community;

(d) the number of wagons likely to be held up at such railway station if goods are not removed therefrom quickly and the need for quick movement and availability of such wagons;

(e) such other factors (being relevant from the point of view of the interest of the general public) as may be prescribed:

Provided further that the period specified in any notification issued under this sub-section in respect of any railway station shall not exceed six months in the first instance, but such period may, by notification, be extended from time to time by a period not exceeding six months on each occasion.

(2) If any person entrusting any goods to a railway administration to be carried to a notified station makes an application in such form and manner as may be prescribed and specifies therein the address of the person to whom intimation by registered post of the arrival of the goods at the notified station shall be given and pays the postage charges required for giving such intimation, the railway administration shall, as soon as may be after the arrival of the goods at the notified station, send such intimation accordingly.

(3) There shall be exhibited at a conspicuous place at each notified station a statement in the prescribed form setting out the description of the goods which by reason of the fact that they have not been removed from the station within a period of seven days from the termination of transit thereof are liable to be sold, in accordance with the provision, of sub-section (1) of section 90 by public auction and the dates on which they would be so sold:

Provided that different statements may be so exhibited in respect of goods proposed to be sold on different dates.

(4) If the goods specified in any statement to be exhibited under sub-section (3) include essential commodities, the railway servant preparing the statement shall, as soon as may be after the preparation of such statement, forward a copy thereof to--

(a) the representative of the Central Government nominated by that Government in this behalf;

(b) the representative of the State Government nominated by that Government in this behalf; and

(c) the District Magistrate within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the railway station is situated.