The licence of a porter at Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station was cancelled after he charged an exorbitant amount of Rs 10,000 from an NRI passenger for wheelchair services and carrying his luggage to the platform. After the incident came to light, the Railways initiated an inquiry and cancelled his licence. The porter was also asked to return 90 per cent of the amount to the passenger.
Northern Railways said its Delhi division had withdrawn the porter's badge. The Railways further stated that it had a "zero-tolerance policy" for such incidents, and it considered passenger interests paramount.
Payel, the daughter of the NRI passenger, filed a complaint with the Railways after learning that wheelchair assistance service was free at stations. The incident took place on December 28.
The porter was identified after checking CCTV footage and was made to return Rs 9,000 to the passenger.
Expressing shock and disbelief over the incident, the divisional railway manager said the Railways was committed to providing a safe and convenient journey for its passengers.
Saying that such incidents tarnish the image of the Railways and erode the trust of passengers, he assured that strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
The railway administration further appealed to all passengers to immediately contact the helpline number 139 if they face any kind of problems.
