Pune Railway Station Lacks Marathi Representation Among Stallholders, Alleges MP Medha Kulkarni; Flags Security, Cleanliness Issues

Pune, 24th April 2026: Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni on Thursday raised concerns over the lack of Marathi representation among stallholders at Pune Railway Station, claiming that none of the vendors operating at the station are from the local Marathi community.

The observation comes amid the Maharashtra government’s move to make Marathi language usage mandatory for autorickshaw and taxi drivers from May 1.

Kulkarni made the remarks after conducting an inspection of the railway station premises, where she also highlighted issues related to security lapses, unauthorised activities, and poor sanitation.

Speaking to reporters, Kulkarni said that she had been receiving repeated complaints about the condition of the station, prompting her to carry out an on-ground review. “Several shortcomings have come to light during the inspection. There appears to be a lack of proper security measures, and unauthorised individuals are freely accessing platforms,” she said.

The MP alleged that many people were entering platforms without tickets and that instances of alcohol consumption and drug use were observed within the station premises. She also pointed to the presence of individuals with substance abuse issues, raising concerns about passenger safety.

Kulkarni said she plans to meet railway officials, including the Divisional Railway Manager, to address these concerns. She added that a detailed report on the issues identified during the inspection would be submitted to the central authorities.

Highlighting the vendor composition, Kulkarni claimed that out of 17 stallholders at the station, most were from outside Maharashtra, with no representation from the Marathi community. “It is unfortunate that not a single Marathi person is operating a stall at Pune Railway Station,” she said.

Describing the overall management as inadequate, Kulkarni alleged that despite past incidents, there has been no significant improvement in surveillance or enforcement. She further stated that the matter would be escalated to the Union Railway Minister.