The elderly and the indisposed will no longer have to haggle with porters or hunt for wheelchairs at Tatanagar station.

City-based private charitable trust Brahmananda Seva Sadan on Wednesday donated a battery-operated car, five wheelchairs and a stretcher, making Tatanagar the first station under Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway (SER) to boast special wheels.

Station manager O.P. Sharma, area railway manager Om Prakash Charan and managing trustee of Brahmananda Seva Sadan Monu Bhattacharjee were present on the occasion.

"We were thinking of donating a battery-operated car to Tatanagar for quite sometime. The station authorities should make best use of the facilities," said Bhattacharjee.

According to him, the battery-driven car will be maintained by the Trust. "We shall provide two drivers who will operate the vehicle in shifts - 6am to 2pm and 2pm to 10pm. Depending on the response, we may extend the service round the clock or donate yet another car to the station," Bhattacharjee added.

Passengers can avail of the car service or access wheelchairs for free by approaching the deputy station superintendent's office on platform one.

"The new wheelchairs add to our existing fleet of five. These are of huge help to elderly and ailing passengers or those with hindered mobility," said station manager Sharma.

Passenger and trade outfits cheered for the Trust.

"They deserve appreciation. Other private establishments should come forward and contribute to passenger amenities at Tatanagar," said Arun Tiwary, a senior functionary of Chotanagpur Passengers Association.

"The idea of introducing a battery-operated car had earlier come up at various discussions. We appreciate the move," said president of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry Suresh Sonthalia.