Improving Coolie Services - Inputs Needed
Below are the Root Causes and Issues related to coolie/porter services at stations. Kindly review them and help identify specific solutions that can be implemented to improve the services.
Porter Service at Stations - Key Root Causes
1. This is an unorganized sector of employment
2. Majority of the porters are uneducated
3. The porter code of conduct is not enforced by the unions
4. Most of the porters don’t earn very well
5. They try to make as much money as possible from the passenger
6. Porters have strong unions and are capable of disrupting the working of the railways
7. There is no questioning authority to control the porters and hence they do what they feel like doing
8. There is no harsh punishment for the porters who are caught breaking the rules
9. No check on unauthorized porters on the stations
10. Porters want to reach the passengers first and hence enter the train even before it comes to a complete halt
11. Lack of baggage trolleys at railway stations fuels the requirement of porters
12. Porter charges are not visible on the station/inside the trains and hence the passenger does not know what is the right amount to pay.
Porter System at Stations – Key Issues
1. Porters lift luggage without quoting price and then quote what they feel like by unionizing with other porters thereby cornering the passenger to their quoted price
2. Porters do not follow quoted Government Porter rates at all and act unaware.
3. Many porters get aggressive quickly and fight with passengers over payment
4. They consume alcohol and come to work
5. Their behaviour towards the passengers is very rude
6. Theft of luggage by unauthorised porters is a frequent occurrence
7. Porters are nowhere to be found at night
8. Porters don’t wear their badges
9. Porters congest the exit path of the compartment by rushing into coaches as soon as train reaches the station more
Porter Service at Stations - Key Root Causes
1. This is an unorganized sector of employment
2. Majority of the porters are uneducated
3. The porter code of conduct is not enforced by the unions
4. Most of the porters don’t earn very well
5. They try to make as much money as possible from the passenger
6. Porters have strong unions and are capable of disrupting the working of the railways
7. There is no questioning authority to control the porters and hence they do what they feel like doing
8. There is no harsh punishment for the porters who are caught breaking the rules
9. No check on unauthorized porters on the stations
10. Porters want to reach the passengers first and hence enter the train even before it comes to a complete halt
11. Lack of baggage trolleys at railway stations fuels the requirement of porters
12. Porter charges are not visible on the station/inside the trains and hence the passenger does not know what is the right amount to pay.
Porter System at Stations – Key Issues
1. Porters lift luggage without quoting price and then quote what they feel like by unionizing with other porters thereby cornering the passenger to their quoted price
2. Porters do not follow quoted Government Porter rates at all and act unaware.
3. Many porters get aggressive quickly and fight with passengers over payment
4. They consume alcohol and come to work
5. Their behaviour towards the passengers is very rude
6. Theft of luggage by unauthorised porters is a frequent occurrence
7. Porters are nowhere to be found at night
8. Porters don’t wear their badges
9. Porters congest the exit path of the compartment by rushing into coaches as soon as train reaches the station more
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If there is a prepaid coolie service in Railway stations like pre paid auto and Taxi services to some extent this problem can be solved. more
Jun 02
True if railway stations could be porter free like airports that would be desirable but the reality is that this is not possible because of escalators and existing stations cannot be redesigned without considerable expense which would not be practical in the case of small stations.What is needed is a fair rate system that is conspicuously displayed and some kind of gentle enforcement to see it's enforcement. At some stations like in Delhi the porters tend to be extortionist especially when platforms are very far away, it is late in the night and the passengers are elderly. A prepaid counter is worth a try but I doubt if it is likely to work. If necessary revise rates as required but then do enforce them. more
Jun 01
Like Pre-paid Auto/Taxi at stations, we can open a PREPAID PORTER SERVICE COUNTER, wherein the passengers' luggage will be weighed and accordingly the charges are fixed. Then necessary 'Charge Slip' will be given to the passengers with the Porter's name/badge number assigned. Though there is every possibility of the Porters' asking for a tip at the end, from the passenger, the passengers can avoid unnecessary arguments / harrassments with/from the porters for the porter charges. more
May 27
Why do we need porters?This is a very visible form of human descrimination when one human being is walking in a suit and the other human being is carrying the luggage... We need to eliminate such a descrimination... Do we see any porters in Airports? Why...Other than India,how many countries have porters? Make the railway stations very much like airports...Utilize the porters for some meaningful work like operating a RO plant owned by govt..This will reduce the packaged water prices,the stations will also look good and discrimination of this sort can be prevented.. Let there be battery operated vehicles carrying the luggages..let there be trolleys available in railway stations... Take effective steps to eliminate the porter culture in India ... more
May 27
some station we down then coolies are creating demand heavy charge for lifted our baggage and more then hawkers are sell food items in exceed amount.peoples are urgently required the waters,foods, fruits and train also not stayed more time.so my opinion that 1)every time announce on railways platform that rate for eatable items not give extras on printing and by fixed of railways and if say then call phone (give by announcer) & office address. 2) In every platforms held pre-charge ticket counters and issuing pass as per the baggage then passengers are safe and coolies are also safe more
May 27
