File picture of the Azad Hind Express
Undri resident Samit Sinha is now reconsidering his family’s Puja trip despite having confirmed tickets on Pune-Howrah Duronto for Oct 17, the first day of the festival. Pune-based businessman Mithilesh Agarwal, who is scheduled to travel on Oct 19 for urgent work unrelated to the festival, said he was worried about reaching his destination on time. Because the train has also been facing frequent delays, but after speaking to several people, I am nervous about the journey. Because their rakes are arriving late from Bengal, “These trains are getting delayed.
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Passengers said delays have been a longstanding issue, with little visible action taken to improve the trains’ reliability. I am having to rethink the plan, as I don’t want to spend two or three days on a train during the Puja,” Sinha said. With airfares being too expensive, Sinha said his family was even considering cancelling the trip. Even though the tickets are booked, we are still thinking,” he said. What is the use of swanky Vande Bharat trains if basic punctuality has not improved?” he said. Hemant Kumar Behera, PRO and divisional commercial manager of Pune railway division, said the delays were primarily linked to late arrival of rakes from Bengal. A decision on whether to do so during the festival is yet to be taken,” he said. Wakad resident Shankesh Dhar, who is booked on the Azad Hind Express, said the railways should prepare for disruptions during the festival. As tax-paying citizens, don’t we have the right to comfortable and stress-free travel?” he said.
“Since I could not manage enough leave, my plan was to take the Duronto and reach Kolkata the next day. “My family is travelling with me and rather than taking such a big risk, we are contemplating cancelling the plan. Passengers travelling on Pune-Santragachi Humsafar Express, which operates every Monday, have similar concerns. “On making inquiries, I found that this train is among the worst when it comes to delays. All trains from Pune to Kolkata have been facing this problem for years. How have the railways not acted on it yet? Several passengers will be travelling for the festival and the railways need to ensure they reach on time. The reason for late arrival is not clear to us. Once a train arrives, maintenance and cleaning also have to be completed, which takes time. “Additional rakes for all these trains should be kept ready and on standby in case of delays. At least during festivals, trains should run on time. Download the TOI App.
We had earlier operated an additional rake for the Azad Hind Express.
Pune : Baner resident and working professional Manutosh Sakia could not afford the steep Rs82,000 airfare for four return tickets to Kolkata during Durga Puja . So, he booked tickets on the Azad Hind Express for Oct 15, two days before the festival begins.
I saw a message posted by the DRM on Sunday saying the train, which was scheduled to leave Pune at 6.35 pm on Oct 4, had been rescheduled to 3.35 am the next day. These three trains recorded an average punctuality of only around 60% in Aug and Sept, according to railway data.
If this happens to our train, we could end up spending the first one or two days of Durga Puja on the train itself,” he said. But with the train frequently running late, Sakia is now worried about whether his family will reach Kolkata on time. “I am worried about whether I will be able to reach Kolkata on time. The train has been getting delayed frequently for years, and the problem continues. Similar messages have been issued frequently. With Durga Puja and Dasara approaching, passengers booked on Azad Hind Express, Pune-Howrah Duronto, and Pune-Santragachi Humsafar Express are increasingly anxious about their festival journeys.