Passengers suffer as platform no.1 of Pune railway station undergoes repair

PUNE Repair and flooring work which has been undertaken at platform No. 1 of the Pune railway station and closure of the ‘Jan Ahaar’ food canteen, which provides meals at affordable rates, is causing inconvenience to passengers. At least 50 trains use platform No.1 on a daily basis.

Passengers are forced to walk on debris and cement lying on the platform and during rush hours especially senior citizens and children struggle to board the trains.

Repair work is ongoing, and has been underway for the past 15 days and the canteen is closed from the last seven days.

Manoj Jhawar, Pune railway division spokesperson, said, “The work has been undertaken for changing the damaged tiles with new granite tiles. Repair work is under progress at various parts of the Pune railway station. The work will continue until the first week of January.”

“We are aware it is the festive season but, the repair work is important and so it has been undertaken for the betterment of the passengers. Instructions have been given to the contractor and workers that there should not be any kind of inconvenience to the passengers due to their ongoing work,” said Jhawar.

Kishore Jagdale, a passenger, said, “I struggled to board the train on platform No.1 at the Pune railway station, as there were debris and tiles lying all over the platform. Workers are sitting across the platform which is causing inconvenience for all the passengers.”

“As people are travelling due to festive season the repair work should have been undertaken at a later date,” said Jagdale.

Another passenger, Priya Mewani, said, “It is not safe for the passengers to walk and board a train on the platform and we are risking our lives by travelling now. if anyone falls while boarding a train who will be responsible?”

“There are no safety arrangements made by the railway officials so disabled, senior citizens and children are unable to walk on the platform,” said Mewani.

Mangesh Chaudhary, another passenger, said, “I commute regularly from Pune to Bengaluru and many times I eat at this Jan Ahaar canteen which serves food at reasonable rates, but now as it is closed I don’t have any option rather than to buy food from other private food joints at the station premises and the food here is costly.”