PUNE: Now, getting a berth on a train to northern India Delhi, Jammu, Patna and Howrah is all set to get easier with the railway administration
deciding to introduce additional coaches in the three trains that depart from Pune station Zhelum express, Patna express and Azad Hind express.
The Pune division of the railways has also taken up works to extend platforms at four stations Pune station, Urali, Khadki and Kedgaon in order to facilitate 24-coach trains.
This comes as a welcome news to thousands of people who travel to these destinations regularly.
Prabhat Sahai, divisional railway manager, Pune division, said the proposal to add extra coaches to the three trains is referred to the central railway headquarters. "We hope that the sanction would come by the end of March," he said.
Harsha Shah, president, Pune Pravasi group, said that the number of waiting list passengers for each of these train touch hundreds each day. The situation becomes all the more critical during peak seasons like winter and summer vacations. Considering the rise in the number of passengers travelling to these destinations, continuous demands were being made to add extra coaches to these trains for a long time.
Saurabh Sharma, a frequent traveller on the Pune-Delhi route, said, "Reservation charts are often full even if I try to book my tickets well in advance. Last time, I did not get a ticket even though I tried to book it 40 days in advance. The railway administration must take corrective measures to tackle the additional burden of passengers on this route."
An official from the railways said the Zhelum express is currently running with 21 coaches, while Azad Hind express and Patna express are running with 19 coaches. Once the proposal is sanctioned, the trains will have three additional coaches each. The Zhelum and Azad Hind are daily trains while Patna express run four days a week.
The official added that the platform extension works at Pune station and the other three stations are in progress. As of now, there is only one platform at the Pune railway station to cater to a train with 24 coaches. "The railway ministry has taken up a task to make many of the long distance trains 24 coaches. The extension plan is a step ahead to accommodate these trains," the official said.
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