Porter at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station charges Rs 10,000 to elderly man in wheelchair

A porter at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station was found guilty of overcharging an elderly man in a wheelchair, demanding an exorbitant fee of ₹10,000 for assistance. After an investigation, the railways intervened, ensuring ₹9,000 was refunded to the senior citizen's family and revoking the porter's badge as a disciplinary action.

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.

Expressing regret over the incident, the DRM of the Delhi division said that the railways is committed to providing safe and convenient travel to passengers. Such incidents tarnish the railways' image and weakens passenger trust. He assured that strict action would be taken against people found guilty in similar cases. "The railway administration appeals to all passengers to immediately contact the railway helpline number if they encounter any issues during their journey," he said.