Porters Seek Relief Amidst Tirupati Railway Station Modernisation Woes

Tirupati: Licensed porters working at the Tirupati Railway Station have raised serious concerns over the impact of ongoing station modernisation on their livelihoods. On Monday, a delegation of porters met Tirupati MP Dr Maddila Gurumurthy and submitted a memorandum outlining their plight.

The porters informed the MP that the introduction of escalators, battery-operated vehicles and luggage trolleys at the station has drastically reduced the need for manual labour, leading to a steep decline in their earnings. Many of these porters have been serving passengers at the station for 15 to 30 years and are now facing severe financial hardships.

In response, Dr Gurumurthy wrote a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging his intervention to protect the livelihoods of these long-serving workers. “Many porters are illiterate and unable to access the online porter booking systems that are becoming the norm. Their inability to compete with new systems is pushing them into distress”, the MP stated in his letter.

He further emphasised the continued need for human assistance at railway stations, especially for elderly and differently-abled passengers. “Despite technological upgrades, the physical support these porters provide remains vital. It is essential to integrate them into the changing infrastructure rather than replace them,” Dr. Gurumurthy added.

The MP appealed to the ministry to consider several remedial measures, including priority for licensed porters in station-based jobs, retention of offline booking facilities, extension of welfare schemes and introduction of skill development programmes tailored to their needs.

“These individuals have devoted decades of service. It is the responsibility of the system to ensure they are not left behind in the name of progress,” he said, calling for a fair and humane approach to modernisation.

Dr Gurumurthy also stressed that sustainable development should not come at the cost of displacing workers who form the backbone of essential public services like the Railways.