Improving Porter System - Addl Inputs

Via this circle, we have had structured discussion on the current porter system. Since the circle has more than doubled in size, we would like to seek everyone's inputs on the subject. Below are the Issues, Root Causes and Solutions as identified by you to improve the Porter System at stations.

Kindly review and share any additional inputs you might have!

Improving Porter System at Stations

Issues Identified:

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

Root Causes Identified:
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

Solutions Identified:
1. The price list of the porters should be mentioned at different places in the trains and on stations
2. Porter unions should be monitored closely and brought under the Government lens
3. Porters caught asking more money than the printed pricelist should be challaned on the spot
4. Repeat offenders should be stripped of their badge
5. Every porter should have a unique ID that is displayed on their badge and can be used during complaint filing
6. Prepaid porter system should be introduced which is SMS based driving porter to passenger
7. Every coolie should have a weighing machine and rate should be fixed by railways depending nature of luggage and its weight
8. Wearing prominently visible badges should be made mandatory
9. There should be a queue/number system for the porters to follow to attend a passenger
10. A phone-complaint number and an online complaint system should be enabled which should be prominently visible on stations
11. The passenger complaints should be registered at the union office
12. A vigilance team should be created by the station master which keeps an eye on unauthorized porters
13. Luggage trolleys could be made available on stations on a chargeable basis
14. NGOs should be roped in to train the porters on customer service
15. Porters should be trained on the ‘Code of Conduct’
16. The union and Railway Authorities should make sure that the Code of Conduct is enforced. more