Pune railway station, one of the busiest hubs in the central railway network, is facing severe passenger inconvenience due to the slow pace of essential drainage tank work. Despite the primary construction of the underground drainage tanks being completed, a few remaining chambers need to be finished, leaving the area near the main entrance barricaded and uncomfortable for commuters.
This delay has led to a significant lack of seating arrangements, forcing passengers to sit on their luggage or even on the bare ground under the open sky. The construction work began more than two months ago, and while the railway officials have claimed that the main infrastructure is already in place, the final touch-ups to the chambers and surrounding systems are still pending. With no adequate seating available, passengers, particularly senior citizens, pregnant women, and those with small children, are left to endure long waits in uncomfortable conditions.
Also Watch: “Mumbai will rock, shine and always be India’s best city to live.” In an exclusive, MHADA CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal (IAS) talks about Mumbai’s enduring charm, livability, and the government’s focus on making it affordable for all
A passenger from Sahakarnagar, who was travelling to Mumbai with his elderly mother, shared his frustration. “There’s no proper place to sit, and the unpredictable rain only makes it worse. We had to wait for over an hour with no option but to stand, and it’s frustrating to see a station of this size neglecting the basic needs of passengers. If this is the condition now, how will it cope during festival seasons when the crowd increases?” The slow pace of the work has sparked considerable public outcry, with many questioning how such a vital railway station could fail to meet even the most basic infrastructure standards. Despite these concerns, officials from the Pune railway division remain optimistic, promising that the remaining work will be completed in the next 15 days. “The construction of the drainage tanks at the main gate has already been completed. What remains is some minor work related to the chambers at the rear end. We understand the inconvenience being caused to passengers, especially with the rains, and we sincerely regret it. The work will be expedited, and once completed, the seating benches will be reinstalled inside the station,” assured a railway official.
However, for many passengers, these assurances have come too late. With monsoon rains already in full swing and the station becoming more crowded by the day, the lack of seating is just one of the growing issues facing those who pass through the station. A significant challenge is also the lack of a functioning drainage system during the rainy season, which poses potential hygiene and safety risks. Pune station, with over 250 trains operating daily and serving over two lakh passengers, remains in a state of partial construction, which could undermine both passenger comfort and station operations.
The railway authorities must take responsibility for ensuring that the station can handle the heavy footfall it experiences daily, especially with the current state of disrepair in vital infrastructure. Passengers should not have to bear the brunt of such delays, particularly in a major city like Pune. As the station continues to function at partial capacity, it remains to be seen whether the promised improvements will indeed materialize in the next two weeks or whether passengers will continue to suffer in the meantime. As Pune railway station battles operational challenges, passengers await improvements in infrastructure that will restore comfort and safety to one of India’s busiest transport hubs. The delay highlights the need for urgent attention to civic amenities, especially in spaces that cater to such a high volume of people daily.
Also Read : Navi Mumbai Airport To Begin Operations With 12 Hour Schedule
Pune Station Faces Public Outrage Over Drainage Work Delay
