Railway budget leaves Pune out in the cold

PUNE: The city had a long wish list from the railway budget ranging from better amenities to better connectivity with more destinations, but all it got in the end was Pune station figuring as a stoppage for two new trains. Commuters said that the budget failed in addressing all their demands, the most critical being at least one new train between Pune and Mumbai and funds to upgrade Pune station to a worldclass facility.Daily commuters on the Pune-Mumbai sector said they were disappointed with the budget, more so when the railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in his budget speech on Tuesday did not even touch upon any demand from the city including the pressing need for a third line between Pune and Lonavla.
Chandmal Parmar, chairman, MCCIA's rail, road and traffic committee said that the budget was disappointing for Pune and western Maharashtra. Although Pune figures among the top seven metros in the country, it has failed to receive any substantial allocation, commuters said, adding that their other expectations such as introduction of a daily Shatabdi to Kolhapur and Hubli as well as better frequency of Duronto trains to Delhi, Ahmedabad and Howrah were also not met. Demand for a separate terminal was also ignored.
Kanubhai Trivedi of Pune Pravasi Sangh said, "The budget has yet again failed to address issues of strengthening rail infrastructure in Pune region. Regions such as Daund and Solpaur are expanding as residential and industrial hubs, but the railway minister has not touched upon the demands of increasing the number of trains plying on Pune-Manmad and Daund-Solapur routes. Though the budget has proposed a third line between Karjat and Kalyan, there is no clarity how this line would connect Karjat-Pune section. The MPs in the district have failed to press demands of rail commuters."
Harsha Shah of Railway Pravasi Sangh said that the two new trains announced in the budget that will stop at Pune will not benefit city commuters. "It is disappointing that no new train is announced to destinations outside the state. The city urgently needs additional trains as almost all long distance trains from Pune are full through the year," said Shah. Manik Birla, president of Rail Travelers Service Agents' Association said, "Maharashtra has been neglected completely. The state has received lesser number of new trains as compared to other states. The budget has also failed to address the demand for starting new trains between Pune and Daund."
The biggest expectation among commuters was a new train connecting Pune and Mumbai, which was ignored. Hemant Tapale of Pune Mumbai Pravasi Sangh said. "We are now expecting augmentation of coaches in the existing trains on Mumbai route," he said. Mohan Mate, member of railway's consultative committee, said that budget failed to make a provision of funds for upgradation of Pune railway station to a world-class facility, as was announced in the 2009 budget. No hike in fares has, however, given some relief to commuters.
Women commuters rued that the budget had nothing for them. Manjulata Mehta of Sadadi Mahila Mandal said that except for increasing the number of women RPF staff, the budget failed to give any special attention to women commuters. Commuters also complained about the fare hike. “The surcharge on superfast train fares would affect ticket rates in Pune-Mumbai trains as well as long distance superfast trains from Pune to destinations such as Delhi , Hyderabad and other major cities. Commuters will be spending at least Rs 50 more,” said Sameer Kulkarni, a traveller.
Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013