Section 17. General responsibility of common carrier

17. General responsibility of common carrier.— Save as otherwise provided in this Act, a common carrier shall be responsible for the loss, destruction, damage or deterioration in transit or non-delivery of — any consignment entrusted to him for carriage, arising from any cause except the following, namely: - (a) act of God; - (b) act of war or public enemy; - (c) riots and civil commotion; - (d) arrest, restraint or seizure under legal process; (e) order or restriction or prohibition imposed by the Central Government or a State Government or by an officer or authority subordinate to the Central Government or a State Government authorised by it in this behalf: Provided that the common carrier shall not be relieved of its responsibility for the loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery of the consignment if the common carrier could have avoided such loss, destruction, damage or deterioration or non-delivery had the common carrier exercised due deligence and care in the carriage of the consignment.