This is in a bid to reduce journey time wherein the Central Railways (CR) has added a push-pull engine and reduced one halt leaving commuters furious
Commuters along the Mumbai-Pune rail route seemed to be a harassed lot with the Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai Intercity Express has stopped halting at the Karjat railway station since May 31.
This is in a bid to reduce journey time wherein the Central Railways (CR) has added a push-pull engine and reduced one halt leaving commuters furious. Passengers from places like Dombivli, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and other adjoining areas will now have to travel farther more to access this train. Commuters claim that instead of adding more facilities and making the train more accessible for commuters, the railway authorities seems to depriving them further by deleting one of its major halt.
However still, when this correspondent visited Karjat railway station, it was observed that commuters were boarding a moving 'Intercity Express', while the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were stationed on the platform to prevent commuters from such dangerous acts of boarding a running train. Commuters claimed that this train is one of the choice for several passengers to ride upto Lonavala after which they could board a local train to Pune. Now, they feel stranded with a crucial ride less.
Prabhakar Gangavane from the Karjat Passenger Association, after successfully adding a regular halt at Karjat for the Panvel – Nanded – Panvel train is now determined to get 'Intercity express’ halt at Karjat restored again, even taking up the matter with Guardian Minister of Raigad district Ravindra Chahav in form of a memo.
When contacted, Ravindra Chavan, MLA from Dombivli and Guardian Minister of Raigad District said, “I am going to meet Divisional Railway Manager of Central Railway and will see what response we get from him.”
ACP Surendanath Deshmukh of Kalyan Division who was also present at the spot, said, “In anticipation of any untoward incident, we deputed our force. Smita Dhakane - Senior Police Inspector of Thane railway station and their team along with our Karjat police inspector Kailas Dongre and their team were present to inform the passengers about the change and working towards maintaining a peaceful scenario. We requested the passengers to take up all their grievances through proper forum and stay away from any agitation.”
However, Prabhakar Gangavane said, “Nowadays, Mumbai Pune route is traversed by many passengers and many times, we see that in long distance trains our Karjat, Badlapur, Ulhasnagar, Dombivli Kalyan passengers do not get to board the train easily and so we were are need of more services. However, the railway authorities are reducing the services one by one.”
Pramod Deshmukh - a passenger who travels along the route, said, “Before elections, Railway Minister declared EMU trains will start from Pune to Kalyan and Kalyan to Nashik, more powerful rakes would be added, now all these promises are vanished.”
Another passenger who wished not to be named, said, “This travel route by road (between Karjat and Pune) takes longer time and is costlier. Now, we have one very important option lesser.”
A. K. Jain - Senior Public Relation Officer of Central Railway said, “This was not a commercial halt at Karjat station, but purely a technical halt to attach bunkers at the back side for engines. However now, we have placed the push and pull engines from starting point itself. So, we have removed the said halt at Karjat.”