In a bid to upgrade railway coolies, Western Railway will train them in CPR, fire safety and digital payments. By doing so, the railway authorities want the licensed porters to play an additional role in passenger safety and have improved interaction with passengers.

“The initiative has been named ‘Coolie No. 1’ and it is aimed at mutually benefitting licensed Sahayaks (porters) and passengers. Licensed Sahayaks play an integral part in the railway system in India and add an important value in the overall train travel experience of long-distance passengers,” a WR spokesperson said.