Pune station sets up separate shelter and nodal officer to ease Diwali, Chhath crowds
Pune railway administration has built a separate shelter beside the parcel department and deployed extra RPF personnel to reduce platform crowding during Diwali and Chhath.
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The number of passengers travelling to their villages for Diwali and Chhath Puja is rising. In view of this, the Pune railway administration has made several special arrangements. To reduce pressure of crowds on the platforms, a separate shelter has been put up in the station premises, next to the parcel department.
Basic facilities have been provided for passengers in the shelter. Boards giving the timings of special trains have been put up, and additional staff have been deployed to guide passengers.
During festival days, the number of passengers leaving Pune station for different regions, including North India, goes up. As a result, there is a risk of very large crowds gathering on the platforms at once. Crowds cause inconvenience to passengers and also carry the risk of accidents such as a stampede.
Passengers have therefore been appealed to not crowd the platforms needlessly before train departure time, to use the separate shelter in the station premises and to cooperate with the railway administration.
This time, the railway has provided the necessary facilities for sitting and waiting in the shelter. There are lights, fans, drinking water and toilets. Information boards have been put up so that the arrival and departure times of Diwali special trains can be easily found.
The Pune railway division has drawn up a special plan for the safety and convenience of passengers. The shelter beside the parcel department has been readied to reduce the load of crowds on the main platform.
A separate nodal officer has been appointed for security and arrangements. Additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have also been deployed. Special attention will be paid to crowd management, guiding passengers and security of the station premises.
On the new facility, it has been stated that a permanent Passenger Holding Area is proposed outside Pune station, beside the MSRTC bus station. It will cover 5,800 sq metres and will later be expanded to 7,000 sq metres. The temporary arrangement near the parcel office had proved inadequate, which is why the new site was thought of.
The permanent work is to begin by December 2026. For now, for Diwali, a temporary holding area of 21,500 sq ft (2,000 sq metres) has been prepared in the VIP siding near Platform 1, where 3,500 passengers can sit at a time.
