Railway porters demand financial aid from Centre

Kolkata: Railway porters on Monday demanded financial aid from the central government in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Indian Railways had suspended all the regular passenger services in March and running few special trains, lesser footfall of passengers at railway stations has stripped porters of hope to recover from the financial lows.

"We will die an unnatural death if regular passenger train services continue to remain suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic. We urge Union Railway minister Piyush Goyal to provide us financial aid," said Jabit Yadav, representative of Coolie Association.

He reiterated that during the pre lockdown period, a porter used to earn Rs 800 after carrying luggage of train passengers on a normal day. At present, they are earning between Rs 50 and Rs 100 on a daily basis.

"The central government doesn't give us salary because we are not permanent railway employees. It provides OPD hospital services, one-time travel pass and uniforms," pointed out Yadav.

Earlier during the pre lockdown period, 101 trains (including long distance and local trains) and 600 trains (including long distance and local trains) used to run from Sealdah station and Howrah station on a daily basis respectively.

While there are around 20,000 coolies across the country, 618 coolies used to work in Howrah station and 400 coolies at Sealdah station.