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Journalism of Courage
A stampede-like situation occurred at Pune railway station this evening immediately after the inauguration of Vande Bharat train, running from Pune to Hubli, causing inconvenience to hundreds of commuters, especially the elderly and disabled, who complained about the closure of the station’s entry gate.
The incident took place when many enthusiasts holding passes gathered on platform one to catch a glimpse of the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat train. This led to the crowd getting disorderly and uncontrollable, which led to several elderly and disabled people being inconvenienced. The rush also caused congestion at platform number six, where commuters reported chaos and shoving.
Rahul Karde, who with his family was in a rush to catch the Garib Rath train, expressed frustration with the situation. “I have an elderly mother who can barely walk, and my children are scared to step into the crowded area. We are all stranded, and no railway staff is here to check on the public. An RPF constable came but left quickly, saying she had to catch her train on time,” Karde said.
An X (formerly Twitter) user, Dipesh Baheti, also shared his experience of the inconvenience at the station. His tweet stated, “The main gate of Pune railway station was blocked for VIPs. Passengers disrespected by police officials and treated like anything. Old, disabled people need to take stairs. Where is our right to equality? At least treat people like people! @RailMinIndia @RailwaySeva.”
In response, railway authorities tweeted that they would forward the concern to the relevant department.
