A passenger aboard the Shatabdi Express had an unusual experience after asking for a band-aid and being told to pay Rs 200 for it. The incident has sparked questions about the cost of even the smallest medical essentials on trains.Passenger asked to pay Rs 200 for a band-aid on Shatabdi, shares bizarre experience (Photos: @kyahaikaushal/Instagram)A man travelling on a Shatabdi Express train was left questioning the attitude of railway staff after his attempt to get a fellow passenger a simple band-aid for her injured finger turned into an unexpectedly long ordeal.Avdhesh Kaushal, an Instagram user, shared a video recounting the incident, in which he described how a small request for basic first aid was initially met with indifference before he had to invoke Rail Madad to get help.Kaushal said he was travelling on the Shatabdi when he noticed a woman sitting nearby had a cut on her finger.
He offered to get her a band-aid, but she was hesitant, believing that such supplies would not be available on the train. He assured her that first-aid assistance could be arranged onboard.He then approached the pantry staff, but they told him they did not have a band-aid and suggested he approach the TTE or the guard's coach instead.
Since he did not know where the coach was, Kaushal decided to register a complaint through Rail Madad, requesting medical assistance. According to his account, a railway representative called him to understand the situation.
However, instead of immediately arranging the band-aid, the representative sent the TTE to check whether anyone had actually been injured.Kaushal said the TTE appeared dismissive when he arrived and described the woman's injury as a minor cut. He also questioned whether she really needed a band-aid.
The TTE then told him that a doctor could examine her at the next station, but that the consultation would cost Rs 200. The woman was reluctant to pursue the matter further, but Kaushal insisted that a band-aid should not be difficult to arrange.
He also pointed out that the cost of one had risen considerably over the years, recalling that it cost Rs 20 in 1989 and Rs 100 from 2018 onwards.The TTE appeared taken aback by his response and said he would check what could be done. A short while later, a pantry staff member was sent to the guard's coach, from where a band-aid was eventually brought and used to cover the woman's injured finger.Questioning the casual attitude towards a basic medical requirement, Kaushal stressed the importance of knowing one's rights and speaking up when essential services were not provided.Watch the video here:His account received reactions from social media users, including someone who identified themselves as a railway employee and praised him for stepping in.
The person also pointed out that train managers were required to carry an updated first-aid box while on duty.Another user felt that although the government provided several essential services, poor implementation often prevented people from accessing them properly.A third shared a similar experience involving sanitary pads at Patna railway station, claiming they had been charged Rs 40 for a pad that normally cost Rs 10, and criticised the lack of access to basic necessities on the railway network.- Ends