'22 per cent stake, just three trains': Why Konkan Railway passengers are protesting?

The organisation said the protest is aimed at drawing attention to demands that have remained pending for nearly a decade. Pic/X, Konkan Railways

Alleging that Maharashtra has not received its fair share of benefits despite contributing 22% of the equity in the Konkan Railway project, the Konkan Railway Passenger Service Committee, a passenger rights' body, has announced a token hunger strike at the Konkan Railway headquarters in Belapur on August 15.

"Although Maharashtra is the largest stakeholder in the project, it has only three dedicated train services - the Diva-Sawantwadi Passenger, Diva-Ratnagiri Passenger and Tutari Express. It also highlighted the recurring difficulty faced by Konkan-bound passengers in securing confirmed tickets during the Ganesh festival, when lakhs travel from Mumbai to their native places," committee secretary Yeshwant Jadyar said.

The organisation said the protest is aimed at drawing attention to several demands that have remained pending for nearly a decade. Among its key demands are the development of Sawantwadi as a full-fledged railway terminus, introduction of Vasai-Sawantwadi and Kalyan-Sawantwadi passenger trains, a Mumbai-Ratnagiri Intercity, Dadar-Chiplun MEMU, Pune-Ratnagiri Express, completion of the doubling of the Konkan Railway line, diversion of superfast trains to Madgaon via Panvel and Miraj, and construction of platform roofs at every station on the route.

Officialspeak

Railway officials said the Konkan Railway being a single line has limitations even then running a number of passenger and freight trains. The railway has been regularly arranging special trains for all festivals to cater to the rush and even for this festive season CR has announced 256 special trains ones.