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Journalism of Courage
After the introduction of a Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train between Pune and Daund by the Pune railway division on Monday, regular passengers between these stations expressed dissatisfaction and called for the introduction of Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains instead.
The passengers described the MEMU as a temporary solution and urged the Pune divisional office to take immediate action on a long-pending proposal to declare the Pune-Daund section as a suburban section.
The proposal to declare Pune-Manmad as suburban section has been on hold with the railway board since June last year. This proposal includes the demand to start the EMU in the section, which requires suburban status.
Following the railway’s decision to include 24 stations, including Daund Junction from the Solapur Division to the Pune Division passengers were optimistic about getting an EMU in Daund. This decision, effective from April 1, merged these stations into the Pune Division.
Many commuters who travel from Daund to Pune for work or study complained that running MEMU is not a permanent solution as it will operate for only a month.
Abhishek Sonavle, a member of the Station Consultative Committee who travels from Daund to Pune, said that MEMUs running on the Pune-Daund section recently are just a substitute for Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU) undergoing routine maintenance at Matunga, Mumbai. “Besides this, MEMU is not a permanent solution for our hardships. A permanent solution is to resume Pune-Daund suburban EMU local services,” he said.
Pramod Ubale, Executive President of Pune Gramin Railway Pravasi Group, explained that MEMU and DEMU have no ladies’ coaches and do not operate on time, causing inconvenience to daily passengers. “Ladies passengers travelling on this route face challenges in securing seats as there is no ladies’ compartment in DEMU and MEMU,” he said.
Additionally, Ubale said that EMU trains wouldn’t be stopped to let express trains pass, unlike MEMU and DEMU. “There is a shortage of trains on this route, and they are often non-punctual. EMU trains will be time-effective for more than 50,000 daily travellers on this route,” Ubale added.
In response, a railway official from the Pune Divisional Office said the Central Railway has already proposed to the Railway Board to declare Pune-Daund as a suburban section, but the decision is pending. “DEMU needs regular maintenance once every 18 months, so it has gone to Mumbai for maintenance. Until then, we have taken MEMU from the Bhusawal Division. There are demands to run EMU from Daund and the proposal has been passed to the board,” he said.
