E-Paper
Railways carry out inspection of Pune station, deploy additional staff to monitor crowds
According to the information shared by the Pune railway division, senior officials from various departments including senior officials from the RPF visited Pune railway station on Saturday night
After a labourer from Bihar lost his life due to the heavy rush at Pune railway station on Saturday night, the Pune railway division and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) police on Sunday carried out a detailed inspection at the railway station. Security arrangements were reviewed and the crowd was monitored even as additional staff was deployed to keep an eye on the huge crowd this Diwali.
According to the information shared by the Pune railway division, senior officials from various departments including senior officials from the RPF visited Pune railway station on Saturday night. A detailed inspection was carried out by senior officials from the RPF, railway division ticket checking, and other departments, and additional manpower comprising RPF policemen and other railway staff was deployed at all six platforms by the Pune railway division.
Manoj Jhawar, spokesperson, Pune railway division, said, “It may be mentioned here that the railway administration was alert about the rush of passengers at the station for the past several days and as a result, additional teams of officers and staff have been deployed to control the situation throughout the day, including adequate arrangements of the RPF. While today, a detailed inspection was carried out at the Pune railway station platforms and other circulating areas.”
On Saturday night, a passenger identified as Sajan Manjhi was returning to his hometown of Bihar for the Diwali festival when at around 9 pm, he died during the heavy rush of passengers boarding the train on platform number 1. There has been a heavy rush at Pune railway station since the past few days with many people returning to their home- towns and states for the festivities.
While denying the fact that Manjhi died due to the heavy rush, Jhawar said, “In this incident at Pune station platform number 1 where train number 12149 down Pune-Danapur Express was to depart, a person standing on platform number 1 suddenly fell ill and collapsed. The RPF staff who were present immediately attended to him and alerted the Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel as well. A doctor posted at the railway station attended to the person and immediately rushed him to the hospital. The doctors informed the person accompanying Manjhi as well as the police personnel about his death.”
“When the GRP enquired with the person accompanying Manjhi, it was found that his name was Sajan (Manjhi) and that he was already suffering from Asthma. The said incident appears to have occurred purely due to Manjhi’s ill health and not because of the overcrowding,” Jhawar said.
Apart from the nearly 230 regular train operations daily, the CR has so far planned 242 festival-special trains, which is the highest number of trains being run in any year for Diwali and Chhath Puja. Of these 242 special trains, 54 trains have already served the passengers’ needs while the remaining 188 are yet to serve the passengers’ needs. Apart from these 242 special trains, four additional special trains (two each way) from Pune to Bihar are also being planned. The railway has appealed to passengers not to unnecessarily crowd the station and come to the station well in time so that boarding of trains becomes easier for them.
