Coolies: Red shirts no more

[ghazi52]

Coolies: Red shirts no more

Porters wearing their new uniform which has been changed after 150 years by Pakistan Railways. —Online


Pakistan Railways has changed the uniform of its porters, switching to green and yellow from the nearly 150 years old red.

For well over 100 years, coolies (porters) in the subcontinent – India and Pakistan – wore bright red shirts (the colour often fades to orange) which made it easier to spot them on the crowded platforms.

On this side of the border, the iconic red shirt has now been replaced with a green shalwar kameez displaying the logo of Pakistan Railways along with and a turban.

Porters wearing their new uniform which has been changed after 150 years by Pakistan Railways. —Online


In the 19th and 20th century, coolie was a term for a locally sourced unskilled labourer, hired by a company, mainly from the Indian subcontinent or South China.

A coolie carries up to 40kg of luggage for a mere sum of Rs30 for a single trip – a backbreaking job where occupational hazards include stress fractures and spinal cord injuries.

Most coolies ‘inherit’ this job from their fathers and uncles – many of whom used to carry the loads for Rs5.

There are no women coolies in Pakistan but in India some ladies have been carrying loads for a living.

Porters at Karachi Cantt Station are waiting for passengers to carry their luggage to earn money for livelihood. —PPI

A porter seen carrying luggage of passengers as he wears his new uniform

 

[livingdead]

I have never seen women coolies.
The red color is perfect for high visibility among crowd, not so sure about green color.

 

[AbRaj]

I have never seen women coolies.
The red color is perfect for high visibility among crowd, not so sure about green color.

I think Indian railway too is soon going to change that uniform

 

[The Sandman]

Hmmm it looks good but what about their SALARY?

 

[livingdead]

I think Indian railway too is soon going to change that uniform

as long as they wear a high vis jacket... I got no issues..(but its not practical due to heat)
our raiway stations are very crowded and you want to recognize coolie without much trouble. I dont think they have much crowd in pakistani stations, nor do they have as big stations.

 

[AbRaj]

as long as they wear a high vis jacket... I got no issues..(but its not practical due to heat)
our raiway stations are very crowded and you want to recognize coolie without much trouble. I dont think they have much crowd in pakistani stations, nor do they have as big stations.

Let's hope our railway guy can do something to relieve the overcrowding at stations too

 

[risingsinga]

You still have porters?