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The porter, following an investigation by the Railways, was ordered to return Rs 9,000 to the family. Additionally, his licence was revoked.
The passenger’s daughter filed a complaint with the Railways after she learnt about the free wheelchair service. (Representative image: Getty)
A porter’s license was cancelled after he charged an NRI family for a free wheelchair service at Hazrat Nizamuddin Station on December 28. The family reportedly paid ₹10,000 for both wheelchair assistance and luggage handling. When the passenger’s daughter, Payel, learnt about the free wheelchair service at stations, she filed a complaint with the Indian Railways.
Railways, upon investigation, ordered the porter to return Rs 9,000 to the family and even cancelled his license.
What has happened?
The family, originally from Gujarat, arrived in Delhi on December 21. Payel, who now lives in London, planned a trip to Agra with her parents, Ritesh and Sandhya, and her husband, Samuel, for December 28. Upon reaching Hazrat Nizamuddin station, she hired a porter to assist her father and carry their luggage. The porter demanded ₹10,000 to help Ritesh with a wheelchair and transport their luggage to the platform. She gave the money to the porter and continued with the trip.
Upon reaching Agra, the family booked a taxi to explore the Taj Mahal and other key tourist attractions. During the tour, Payel shared the incident with Anil Sharma, secretary of the Prepaid Auto Taxi Drivers’ Union, who then told her about the free wheelchair assistance at railway stations. He also told her that porters can only charge a small fee for their services.
Payel then lodged a complaint with the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Agra Cantt station. The authorities then conducted an investigation, identified the porter through CCTV footage and instructed him to return Rs 9,000 to the family.
What did the Railways say?
In a statement, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Delhi stated that the Railways uphold a “zero-tolerance” policy towards such incidents and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a safe and smooth travel experience for passengers.
“This incident tarnishes the image of the Railways and undermines passenger trust. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards such misconduct and will take stringent action against those responsible,” the DRM said.
“We urge all passengers to report any issues immediately so we can address them swiftly and uphold the trust placed in us,” the DRM added.
Passengers can report any grievances by reaching out to the helpline at 139.
