Demand For Local Train Service On Pune-Daund Route As DEMU Trains Face Frequent Failures

Pune, 1st April 2025: Passengers traveling on the Pune-Daund railway route are facing severe inconvenience due to the frequent breakdowns of the aging DEMU trains. These technical failures are causing delays, making it difficult for daily commuters to reach their destinations on time. In response, the Rural Railway Passengers’ Association has demanded that the Pune-Daund route be declared a suburban railway sector and that local train services be introduced. The association has warned that if the demand is not met immediately, they will stage a rail blockade protest at Daund railway station.

A significant number of people from Daund and surrounding areas rely on the railway for daily travel related to jobs, businesses, and education. Stations like Daund, Patas, Kedgaon, Khutbav, Yavat, Uruli, Loni, Manjari, and Hadapsar are crucial transit points for commuters traveling to Pune. These areas house several major establishments, including IT hubs in Hadapsar-Magarpatta, hospitals, industrial companies, Serum Institute in Manjari, MIT Campus in Loni, Prayagdham in Uruli, sugar factories in Yavat, and the Kurkumbh industrial estate. Given the heavy commuter traffic, the DEMU service on this route plays a vital role.

However, passengers have been struggling with frequent technical glitches in the DEMU trains, sudden halts to accommodate long-distance trains, and repeated service disruptions. These delays are particularly affecting working professionals, business owners, and dairy suppliers who transport milk in large quantities along this route. The delays in milk transportation are causing significant losses to producers. As a solution, commuters have long been demanding that Pune-Daund be designated as a suburban railway sector with regular local train services. Despite repeated appeals, no concrete action has been taken so far.

The Pune-Daund railway distance is 74 kilometers, with three major stops at Loni, Uruli, and Kedgaon. Ideally, the journey should take approximately 1.15 hours. However, due to technical issues and train stoppages, delays extend to 1.5 to 2 hours, causing further disruptions. The uncertainty of train schedules is affecting job security for industrial workers and impacting businesses along the route.

With mounting frustration among commuters, authorities are now under pressure to take swift action to resolve the issue and introduce a more reliable local train service.