After years of delay, the long-awaited remodelling of Pune Railway Station is set to pick up pace, with the railway administration finalising a detailed plan to modernise the yard and platforms. Preliminary work is already underway, and tenders for remaining tasks will be issued shortly, said Hemant Behera, PRO and Divisional Commercial Manager, Pune Division. The project had previously been stalled multiple times due to operational hurdles, despite two to three master plans being drawn up. However, with increasing footfall—especially during summer holidays—the need for an upgrade has become critical. To manage traffic during the revamp, Hadapsar and Khadki stations are being developed as alternative terminals. Their construction is expected to be completed before major works begin at Pune Station. The overhaul will include two new platforms and extension of four existing ones. The engineering team has prepared the technical layout, and the tendering process for full-scale work will follow soon. Officials said every effort will be made to minimise passenger disruption, particularly during peak travel seasons. The core remodelling work is likely to begin between February and March next year and may take around two to three months. Some train services may be cancelled during this period, but several will be shifted to Hadapsar and Khadki. Meanwhile, to meet rising summer travel demand, the Pune Division has introduced 18 special trains that will make 576 trips over the next 2 to 2.5 months. These services will connect major destinations such as Danapur, Katihar, Kolhapur, Harangul, and Nagpur. Routes include Pune–Danapur, Pune–Kazipet, Kolhapur–Katihar, Daund–Solapur–Kolhapur, Kolhapur–Harangul, and Pune–Nagpur. Depending on the route, each train will make 10 to 64 trips to handle the rush.Image Source:freepressjournal.in