Navsari: A contact number carried by a 90-year-old woman proved crucial in helping her return home after she mistakenly got off a train at Gurugram in Haryana and was found distressed by railway officials late Tuesday night.Hiraba Chavda, a resident of the Vijalpore area of Navsari, boarded a train for Delhi but alighted at Gurugram station by mistake. Railway officials and personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) found her confused and gave her with food before trying to identify her and contact someone who could assist.Chavda had the contact number of the personal assistant to Navsari collector Manish Gurwani and shared it with railway officials. The number enabled authorities to establish her identity and begin arrangements for her return.Navsari collector Manish Gurwani said, “Hiraba lives alone in Vijalpore area and frequently comes to the collector office regarding her widow pension and other govt schemes. She was in contact with my personal assistant. He gave her his number for emergencies or if she needed help. She gave his number to the railway officials who then contacted him.”After officials from the collectorate confirmed her identity, railway authorities were requested to facilitate her journey back to Gujarat.Members of the Navsari district BJP unit also helped with the arrangements after learning about her situation.“We arranged her reservation from Gurugram to Ahmedabad on Yoga Express as there was no direct train to Navsari at that time. Once she off at Sabarmati station in Ahmedabad, our workers took her to Kalupur railway station. From there, she boarded the Gujarat Queen and reached Navsari late in the night. She told us she wanted to meet PM Narendra Modi,” a Navsari district BJP leader said.Chavda lives alone in a rented room in Vijalpore. She supports herself through her widow’s pension and assistance from locals. Her husband, a tailor, died a few years ago.Residents familiar with her said she manages her daily routine independently and is known for feeding stray dogs and cows with food she cooks herself.
