PUNE: The passengers are forced to travel on waiting list tickets on the North-bound trains including Delhi, Chandigarh, Gorakhpur, Patna and Darbhanga despite a new rake (16 bogies) which is lying idle at the Khadki railway station for the past two months. The Pune railway division officials are unable to make use of it as they are waiting for a green signal from a higher authority.
The railway passengers’ group have also demanded to start trains from Pune to Kolhapur, Pune to Daund, Pune to Karjat etc. Also, several passengers’ groups have requested to divisional railway manager (DRM) to start trains to clear the extra rush.
“The new rake has arrived and there is a discussion to start its use. We are waiting to hear from the higher authority including Central Railway officials and Railway Board to allow to run. There is a demand to start on Delhi route via Bhopal or Chandigarh, also to Darbhanga. Whenever we get a green signal we will start using it,” said a senior officer from the Pune Railway Division, on condition of anonymity.
According to the official, when the rake arrived it was instructed to Pune division that this would run as a special train on special charges. From the past few months, there are several technical and track maintenance works going on in the division. After completion of the work, the new rake will be available for passengers.
DRM Renu Sharma during an interaction with media persons last month had said that congestion at the circulating area of Pune railway station was a big worry and adding more trains to the station was almost impossible.
“That’s the reason, development of Hadapsar railway station as a terminal has been planned. Once that work is over and Hadapsar takes some load off from Pune railway station, we will be able to add more trains from Pune railway station,” she said.
