VIDEO: Summer Rush Hits Pune Railway Station Hard; General Coach Passengers Complain Of Overcrowding, Demand More Trains

Thousands of passengers travelling in general (unreserved) coaches from Pune Railway Station to North India and other areas are facing severe hardship due to overcrowding, lack of adequate trains, and insufficient seating. With summer travel demand peaking and migrant movement on the rise, passengers say the situation has become increasingly unmanageable.

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At Pune Railway Station, which records heavy footfall daily, travellers are struggling to board already packed trains. General compartments, meant to accommodate a limited number of passengers, are witnessing double or even triple occupancy, forcing many to stand for hours or even throughout the journey.

'No place to sit'

Shyamal Gupta, who works as a painter in Pune, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “We have been waiting since morning, but when the train arrived, it was already full. People were pushing just to get inside. There is a queue of more than 100 metres at the railway station to enter the train. Anyhow, if you succeed, you will find there is no place to sit, not even to stand properly. We are forced to travel like this because we have no other option.”

'People are hanging near the doors'

Another commuter, Ramesh Yadav, highlighted, “This is not just uncomfortable, it is dangerous. People are hanging near the doors, and there is constant fear of falling. The railways should increase general coaches and run more trains on these routes.”

'Economically weaker sections are being overlooked'

Sunita Roy, another passenger, shared that there is a need to increase the number of general coaches and additional trains, especially on heavily used northern routes connecting Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. “On one side, the reserved compartments have expanded, while the needs of unreserved passengers, often from economically weaker sections, are being overlooked,” she said.

'Trains will be increased'

Meanwhile, Hemant Behera, Divisional Commercial Manager and Public Relations Officer of Pune Division, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “Additional trains have been announced for the summer season on particular routes. After analysing the crowd, the number of trains will be increased.”