Wheelchair-bound man asked to ‘walk home’ after lift breaks down at Mumbai metro: ‘System failed me’

Specially-abled man left stranded at Worli metro station. (Image:rollyrollyshah/ Instagram)

A late-night journey on Mumbai’s metro system turned into a distressing experience for Karn Shah, a wheelchair-bound Mumbai-based comedian, after a broken lift left him stranded at Worli metro station.

The comedian documented the incident in a video shared on Instagram, describing it as one of the most frightening nights of his life. According to Shah, the lift at Worli metro station was not working, leaving him stranded for an extended period. In the video, he explained, “I’m at the Worli metro station and the lift is not working over here, and it’s been over 45 minutes that I have been standing here. Unfortunately, there is only one lift in Worli which is functional.”

The situation worsened when he tried to seek help through official channels. Shah said he repeatedly called the emergency helpline but received no assistance. He said, “I have been calling their emergency number. I have almost called twice or thrice. They say they will connect you with someone, but the call rings for only two seconds and then automatically disconnects. No one is picking up the call on the emergency numbers.”

He further explained, “The only response I have gotten is 'aap ghar pe paidal chale jao,' on my wheelchair, on the busy main road where the cars are going, the bikes are going, the buses are going. And they expect me to go from this road all the way to Dadar from Worli.”

Eventually, with no help arriving, Karn had no option but to move onto the road. In another part of the video, he described his physical and emotional distress, saying, “So, I’m on the road now, and I want to use the washroom very badly. Nothing is accessible. There is no bathroom over here where a wheelchair can go. And now I am on my way back home. I don’t know what to say. I think this has been the most horrific night of my life.”

In the caption accompanying his video, Karn summed up his experience in a powerful message that resonated with thousands online. He wrote, “Tonight I wasn’t scared because I’m disabled. I was scared because the system failed me at every step. Accessibility is not luxury infrastructure. It’s basic human dignity.”

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A post shared by Karn Shah ♿️ Rolling Comedian (@rollyrollyshah)

The video quickly went viral, sparking widespread anger and concern on social media. Many viewers expressed empathy for Karn, while others called out authorities for turning accessibility into a hollow promise rather than a lived reality.

One user wrote, “Your hands were shivering. Oh dear I cried watching this, I know how lonely you would have felt.” Karn responded, “Thank you for noticing. It was a very lonely and frightening moment. That loneliness is something. moments like these reveal how invisible accessibility failures can make you feel.”

Another user commented, “Sorry you have to go through this bro... Hope this country wakes up to accessibility and value life.” One more added, “India isn't wheelchair friendly yet. Sorry you had to go through this.”

Apart from expressing sympathy, many netizens tagged Mumbai Metro authorities and voiced their frustration. One user wrote, “@mumbaimetro3 shameful and this is not even a one off..there have been so many times that the lift at so many stations is not functioning. do better.” Another remarked sarcastically, “@mumbaimetro3 brilliant job keep harassing citizens so everyone leaves the city.”