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Our Bureau

Pune , Aug. 31

CATERING to the long-standing demands by Puneites for better rail services, a master plan addressing all future requirements of the Pune station is being finalised. These include expansion of the platforms, separate terminals for electric and diesel multiple units and completion of the ongoing work on the foot-over-bridge in the city.

Mr A.A. Phadke, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, addressing a gathering at the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), said platform expansion would ensure that 24-coach trains could also stop at the Pune station. Currently, only Platform 1 is able to take up trains of 21 coaches, but once the expansion is ready, Platforms 2 and 3 would be able to take up longer trains, he said.

Mr Phadke said that work on the much-awaited auto signalling system to enhance the line capacity as also the frequency of services between Pune and Mumbai is expected to begin early next year.

This system would allow two trains to run on a single track with a distance of 1.5 km separating the two.

He said that global tenders have already been floated for the installation of the automatic signalling system between Pune and Lonavla.

Addressing the connectivity issue to the northern States, Mr Phadke said recommendation has already been sent across to the Railway to increase the frequency of the Pune-Ahmedabad Ahimsa Express from its present three to five days a week.

He said that as Pune and Ahmedabad were in different railway zones - Western and Central - the authorities concerned would be working out the timetable. Once this was approved, this train could be extended to Jaipur. Currently, there are no direct trains to Jaipur from Pune.

He also pointed out that there was no direct connectivity to the North-Eastern States, beyond Kolkata. In addition to the signalling system, the Central Railway is also working on changing the DC-based power supply to alternating current. The shift is being considered as the DC-based rakes are not being manufactured any longer.

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