Coolies, vendors teaming up

Traveling by train was never that painful as it is now, thanks to the lack of basic facilities in the trains and the highhandedness of the railway officials, who have teamed up with vendors and coolies to rip off passengers. Seats and berths are not in a good condition, fans do not work properly while toilets are in a dilapidated condition. Internal environment of the trains is not hygienic, while the security system is not reliable. Coolies and vendors are offending passengers while the administration has no control over them.
It has been reported that vendors and coolies stop trains a few yards away from the platform in connivance with the railway drivers, only allowing two or three coaches to enter platform, and force passengers to use their services. With the train parked a few yards before the platform, passengers face difficulties in loading and unloading their luggage and are left with no other option but hiring a coolie for their baggage.
A passenger, Asad, while complaining about coolies, said, “No doubt coolie is an important part of the railway platform but collies no longer treat passengers as they did a few years ago. Load pickers demand exorbitant wages for their services and treat passengers badly. They do not care about passengers and indulge only in money minting by hook or by crook.”
Another passenger, Ghulam Mujadid said coolies and vendors looted passengers. Vendors sold un-chilled 500ml water bottle for Rs 30, while outside the railway station it was available for Rs 15, he said. Burgers, biscuits and cold drinks and other eatables were also sold on doubled rates, he said. He said the railway journey was once enjoyable but now it had become miserable owing to lack of railway facilities and unethical behavior of load pickers and vendors.
‘WHAT CAN COOLIES DO?’: A coolie, Rafique, said, “I have been working at the railway station for 32 years. In this period, I have seen many ups and downs. After 2008, Pakistan Railways suffered a financial crisis and the passenger ratio decreased gradually. In the past, Pakistan Railways used to pay the coolies but now railways take an amount from us.”
He said coolies were cash strapped these days and their sufferings were constantly on the rise, as they had to pay Rs 500 monthly to the coolie contractor. He said Allah Log had the coolies’ contract with the commercial branch for Rs 7.2 million. He said it was not fair how the coolies exploited other coolies. He said the coolies had no other choice but to demand money from the passengers, as the coolies had no other source of income.
Coolies contractor, Allah Log, said that considering that Pakistan Railways was going through a crisis, they had to get the contract. He said that before 1994, railways gave wages to coolies but now railways needed their services free. He said passengers should understand their condition.
“We want Pakistan Railways’ prosperity and that’s why we had to take this unwanted step. We know that passengers get offended by us, but we have no other choice and thus, our demands are justified,” he said.
Lahore Divisional Commercial Officer Malik Muhammad Farooq Iqbal said that approximately 600 coolies were registered in Lahore’s railway station. Railways commercial branch annually published tender notices for coolie contract, which was recently given to Allah Log. He said Rs 7.2 million was a big amount but this bid was presented before the railway department by the coolie contractor himself and not an outsider. He said that nine contractors participated in the auction. He said element of mutual understanding among coolies had eradicated.