Porter at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station charges Rs 10,000 to elderly man in wheelchair
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The incident came to light when Payal, the daughter of the elderly passenger, reported the matter. Originally from Gujarat, Payal now resides in London with her husband, Samuel, and her parents, Ritesh and Sandhya. The family had arrived in Delhi on December 21 and, after spending a few days in the city, planned a trip to Agra on December 28. At Hazrat Nizamuddin station, the porter demanded ₹10,000 to assist Payal’s father with a wheelchair.
Upon reaching Agra, the family hired a taxi to visit the Taj Mahal and other local attractions. During their tour, Payal shared the incident with Anil Sharma, secretary of the Prepaid Auto Taxi Drivers’ Union, who informed her that wheelchair assistance at railway stations is free of cost. Porters may charge only a nominal fee for their labour.
Disturbed by the overcharging, Payal and her husband approached the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Agra Cantt station. The Agra GRP coordinated with their counterparts at Hazrat Nizamuddin station to investigate. The porter was identified using CCTV footage, and the family was refunded ₹9,000.
Northern Railway issued a statement affirming their commitment to passenger welfare and a zero-tolerance policy for such misconduct. The divisional railway manager of Delhi also took strict action by permanently revoking the porter's badge.
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