Food stalls removed to ease Pune railway station rush

The removal is expected to provide passengers with more space to enter and exit the station and move toward parking, transport facilities and other areas outside the terminal.

Pune - The Pune railway division removed food stalls obstructing passenger movement within the Pune railway station premises and vicinity as part of a phased operation last week.

Food stalls removed to ease Pune railway station rush

The stalls outside the station caused congestion because crowds frequently gathered around them, restricting passenger movement. Hemant Kumar Behera, spokesperson for the Pune railway division, said, “These stalls were obstructing the circulating way for passengers and their tender had also ended; so we removed them all. There will now be good space for passenger circulation outside the station holding area,” Behera said.

The removal is expected to provide passengers with more space to enter and exit the station and move toward parking, transport facilities and other areas outside the terminal. The open space could also help railway authorities manage passenger queues and crowds more effectively during peak hours and festivals, when the station sees a substantial increase in footfall.

Bhupendra Mishra, a passenger said it was difficult to walk through the area when many people were standing near the stalls. “Clearing them should give passengers more space and make it easier to reach the station exit,” said Mishra.

Another passenger Divya Mohite welcomed the move from a safety perspective. “Food stalls are useful for passengers, but they should not occupy the space meant for people to move around. The additional open space outside the station will be helpful, particularly at night and during periods of heavy passenger rush,” she said.