Rail Budget 2026: Passenger bodies push for new trains, safety, restoration of concessions, zonal status to Nagpur

Nagpur: Ahead of the Railway Budget 2026, passenger organisations in Nagpur have intensified demands for improved connectivity, safety, station upgrades, and restoration of Covid-era concessions.At a Bharatiya Yatri Kendra (BYK) meeting, secretary Basant Kumar Shukla raised a long-pending demand for granting zonal status to Nagpur. The organisations said the proposal has been pending for years despite support from MPs and legislators, and urged the upcoming budget to settle it.Key connectivity demands include direct trains from Nagpur to Haridwar and Rae Bareli, citing heavy religious travel to Haridwar and the benefits of a Nagpur-Rae Bareli service via Bhopal, Kanpur, and Lucknow. Organisations also called for restoration of senior citizen concessions withdrawn during the pandemic.ZRUCC member Nitin Solanke pressed for modern facilities in general coaches, additional coaches to ease crowding, early rollout of Vande Bharat sleeper trains, improved station drainage, and special budget provisions for Yavatmal connectivity.At the divisional level, passenger groups highlighted stray dogs, rising beggars, closed reservation counters, poor sanitation, stagnant dirty water, and auto congestion at Nagpur station, demanding urgent corrective action and coordination with civic authorities.Onboard, they sought better food quality, action against illegal vendors, clean blankets, bedsheets and pillows, separate toilets for women, improved platform and waiting room cleanliness, and strict control over overcrowding.Safety concerns included security personnel in every coach, more TTEs, and stricter monitoring. They also raised concerns over loco pilots working beyond eight hours, linking long duty hours to accidents and calling for stricter adherence to duty norms.All demands have been formally communicated to the Railways, with passenger organisations hoping the Railway Budget 2026 will address these long-standing issues, making rail travel safer, affordable, and more comfortable.