The Central Railway successfully addressed the overwhelming demand for travel between Nagpur and Pune by introducing a special one-way train (01166) on November 19.
The decision, orchestrated by Divisional Railway Manager Tushar Kant Pandey, saw remarkable success as the entire train, equipped with air-conditioned coaches, was fully booked within just one hour of the reservation window opening.
The Nagpur-Pune route, a hotspot for students and job-seekers, witnessed a surge in demand post-Diwali vacation, leaving many hopeful travelers stranded on waiting lists for existing trains. Recognizing this need, the Nagpur division of Central Railway’s initiative to run a special train proved to be a timely blessing for many commuters.
Ashutosh Shrivastava, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SrDCM), expressed satisfaction, stating, “We were happy to see that the entire train with air-conditioned coaches was booked in an hour, even before we could publicize the decision properly.”
The booking window opened at 7:30 pm on Saturday, and by 9 pm, all 700 AC-III and AC-II berths were snapped up. The high demand was evident, with waiting lists reaching 32 for AC-II and 84 for AC-III by Sunday. The train, departing from Nagpur at 9:30 pm on Sunday, is set to arrive in Pune by 12:10 pm on Monday.
Shrivastava revealed, “There were 12 AC-II and 9 AC-III coaches in the train.” Despite the special nature of the train, passengers were eager to secure their seats, with the cost per ticket for AC-II at Rs 2,200 and AC-III at Rs 1,600. Despite the slightly higher fares compared to regular trains, the special train tickets remained a more economical choice compared to private buses charging between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 per person.
Brij Bhushan Shukla, President of Rail Yatri Sangh, emphasized the colossal demand on the Nagpur-Pune sector, suggesting the need for either initiating a Vande Bharat train to Pune or regularizing services like Pune Garib Rath or Nagpur-Pune Express. The success of this special train highlights the importance of strategic decisions in addressing the dynamic travel needs of the region.
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