E-Paper
Pune railway station runs battery-operated cars after three failures
The railways has reintroduced battery-operated cars at Pune railway station to ferry passengers. The cost of the ride has increased to ₹50 per passenger.
After three unsuccessful attempts to start battery-operated cars in the last ten years, the railways has reintroduced the service at the Pune railway station on Thursday.
The vehicles will ferry passengers, especially senior citizens and pregnant women from one platform to another. The cost of the ride has been increased to ₹50 per passenger which was earlier ₹40.
Two such battery-operated cars were introduced at the Pune railway station on Thursday, said officials. While private drivers are deployed to provide services.
The passenger service was first introduced in 2014, but due to lack of maintenance, fewer drivers, and poor response from passengers the services were stopped multiple times in 2016 and 2019.
Ramdas Bhise, divisional commercial manager and public relations officer, Pune railway division, said, “We have appointed a private contractor to run the service. The drivers will work in three shifts and vehicles will be charged on the station premises itself. If there is any issue, then the contractor will be penalised.”
“We often travel from Pune railway station to various places; we are a group of senior citizens and we cannot walk all the way to different platforms carrying heavy luggage. This service is useful but the charges are high,” said Kalpana Chavan, a senior citizen.
