In Pune, passengers choosing train travel, especially during festivals, have expressed concerns over the addition of general second class coaches leading to overcrowding and inconvenience. Arun Kumar Mishra, a senior citizen, who was traveling from Pune to Darbhanga in Bihar, shared his experience of facing unreserved passengers occupying the sleeper class compartment. Mishra recounted an incident where some passengers locked themselves in the toilet, causing disruption. Despite efforts by other passengers, the issue was resolved after the intervention of the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE). Mishra raised the matter through Rail Madad, leading to the removal of the unauthorized passengers at Ahmednagar. With the Pune rail division introducing special trains for the upcoming festive season, passengers holding reserved tickets are worried about unauthorized travelers encroaching on their allocated berths. Ram Paul Barpagga, a public relations officer, mentioned that the increase in general second class coaches in trains could result in a higher number of unauthorized passengers accessing these compartments. He highlighted the addition of eight general second class coaches in the Pune-Malda Town-Pune weekly special train to accommodate more passengers during the festive period. The railway authorities have heightened vigilance by deploying ticket checking staff, officers, inspectors, and Railway Protection Force (RPF) to manage the rush and conduct thorough checks. Unauthorized entry into compartments by unregistered passengers has been identified as a recurrent issue by some travelers.Rajesh Doshi, a Pune resident and frequent train commuter, expressed concern about the presence of ticketless travellers on the Sinhagad Express where one individual, pretending to be a railway employee, occupied a seat. He suggested that the issue needs better attention. Sagar Jadhav, who recently traveled on the Ahmedabad-Pune Duronto Express, mentioned that despite having a reserved seat in coach DL1, the coach was overcrowded with passengers, some even sitting on the floor.

The problem of overcrowding is not limited to trains, but also affects platforms. To address this issue, the Pune rail division officials are considering establishing temporary waiting sheds to improve crowd management and prevent passengers from overflowing onto the platforms. Passengers have raised concerns about the lack of seating, water facilities, and proper waiting areas at the station, leading to overcrowded platforms and increasing the risk of potential stampedes.