Passengers from Bhigwan and surrounding villages have urged the railway administration to restore express train stops at Bhigwan station, saying the continued suspension has disrupted education, employment and small businesses since the Covid-19 period.
The demands were raised at a Rail Jan Samvad public outreach programme held on Thursday and organised by the Solapur railway division. Residents, passengers, school students and political representatives from Bhigwan, Diksal, Rajegaon, Takrawadi, Khanawate, Madanwadi and Swami Chincholi attended the programme and submitted written representations to railway officials.
Railway public relations officer Kulkarni, along with the station manager and other officials, accepted the representations and said the demands would be forwarded to senior officials in the division. The meeting was intended to record passenger concerns, but residents used it to reiterate a demand that has remained unresolved for several years.
Villagers specifically sought the restoration of stops for the Hussainsagar Express operating between Mumbai and Hyderabad, the Chennai Mail and the Siddheshwar Express. They also asked the railway to introduce at least one regular train stop between 6 am and 9 am for passengers travelling towards Pune.
Residents said the requested services would be particularly useful for students, salaried employees and people travelling to district headquarters and other cities for work. Before the pandemic, morning and evening express train stops enabled many people to travel to Pune, Solapur and other urban centres for employment and return home the same day, according to representations submitted at the meeting.
The suspension has also affected the local economy around Bhigwan station. Residents said rickshaw drivers, food sellers and other small businesses that depended on passenger movement had experienced a decline in business. They also reported that the station’s daily economic activity had slowed after the train stops were discontinued.
The issue has previously led to repeated representations and protests, but passengers said the stops had not been restored despite assurances. Residents also criticised what they described as repeated promises during election periods without corresponding action on the ground.
The matter now depends on the response of the Solapur railway division and further follow-up by elected representatives from the Indapur, Baramati and Daund constituencies. Railway officials have said the submissions made during the public outreach programme will be placed before senior divisional authorities.
