Commuters unhappy with two-wheeler showroom coming up opposite Pune rly stn heritage bldg

Daily, more than 200 train operations are conducted from Pune railway station and nearly 2 lakh passengers travel from here

The Pune railway division has given permission to a private two-wheeler dealer to set up a showroom bang in front of the old heritage building of Pune railway station, and this hasn’t gone down well with commuters and commuter organisations that feel that the showroom will take away from the beauty of one of the city’s oldest structures inaugurated on July 27, 1925.

A two-wheeler showroom being built near old heritage building of Pune railway station. (HT PHOTO)

Harsha Shah, president, Railway Pravasi group, said, “Just for the sake of earning money, the Pune railway division is carrying out this illegal work of covering the heritage building with such commercial establishments. There are certain rules and regulations that govern a heritage structure and permission is needed from the central government and archaeological department to carry out any kind of change or construction around the heritage building.”

However, Milind Hirve, senior divisional commercial manager, said, “The permission given to set up this showroom is as per the rules and there is no harm being done to the heritage building. The showroom will not be connected to or touch the heritage building and the heritage building will be taken care of.”

Pune railway station’s old heritage building is one-storeyed and has the main entrance porch in the middle. While platform number 1 lies within the heritage building, the other six platforms have been newly-built. Daily, more than 200 train operations are conducted from Pune railway station and nearly 2 lakh passengers travel from here.