In Pune, passengers traveling by train, especially during festivals, are concerned about the overcrowding caused by the addition of general second class coaches, making their commute uncomfortable. A senior citizen, Arun Kumar Mishra, shared his experience of encountering ticketless or general ticket holders taking over the sleeper class compartment on a journey from Pune to Darbhanga in Bihar. Mishra raised this issue with the TTE after facing difficulties with passengers locking themselves in the toilet. Despite his concerns, fines were collected from the unauthorized passengers instead of asking them to disembark. Following Mishra's complaint to Rail Madad, the unauthorized passengers were eventually removed at Ahmednagar.
As the Pune rail division introduces special trains for the upcoming festive season, passengers holding reserved tickets are worried about their seats being occupied by those without proper tickets. The increase in general second class coaches in trains, including the Pune-Malda Town-Pune weekly special train starting from October 6, raises concerns about unauthorized passengers accessing reserved compartments. The public relations officer, Ram Paul Barpagga, mentioned proactive measures taken by ticket checking staff, inspectors, and RPF to handle the rush and ensure proper ticket validation. Unauthorized entry into compartments by passengers without valid tickets has unfortunately become a common occurrence, according to some travelers.Rajesh Doshi, a Pune resident who frequently commutes by train, expressed concern about the presence of ticketless travelers on the Sinhagad Express where one person even posed as a railway employee to occupy a seat in the reserved compartment. Sagar Jadhav, who traveled on the Ahmedabad-Pune Duronto Express, shared a similar experience of overcrowded coaches, with people even sitting on the floor despite having reserved seats.
Not only are trains affected by overcrowding, but platforms also face issues with large crowds. In response to this, Pune rail division officials had announced plans in April to install temporary waiting sheds on the premises to better manage crowds and prevent passengers from spilling onto platforms. Passengers have complained about the insufficient seating, water facilities, and waiting areas at the station, causing overcrowding on platforms and posing a potential safety risk from stampedes.
