The Panvel-Nanded Express train was detained for an hour-and-a-half at Pune Junction station on Saturday evening to clear cockroaches from some air-conditioned (AC) coaches, after passengers complained about it.
Senior railway officials of the Pune division confirmed the incident.
The train reached Pune at 7.15pm. It departed at 8.43pm after pest control was started in the coaches to drive away cockroaches. According to the railways, it was scheduled to depart at 7.30pm.
Laxminarayan Sharma, a passenger travelling in an AC three-tier coach of the train, wrote on social media, “Train number 17613 (Panvel-Nanded Express). Too many cockroaches in the 3A (AC three-tier) coach. I have attached an image. A cockroach fell into the meal of a passenger. After four-five complaints, one person came, but with an empty Hit spray…”
Ramdas Bhise, the divisional commercial manager and PRO (public relations officer) of the Pune railway division, said, “The complaint was received from B1 coach. The scheduled arrival of the train was 7.25pm, but it reached Pune early. On arrival, officials and cleaning staffers immediately went to attend the coach. They tried to address the issue by spraying ‘Hit’ for quick relief. But some passengers demanded replacement of the coach.”
He said, “The railway staffers tried to convince the passengers that other pest control measures would be taken enroute and at the next station so that the train was not delayed. But passengers didn’t agree. Hence, some staffers were deputed for pest control. The procedure continued until the train reached Kurduwadi station.”
Bhise added that the train belonged to the South Central Railway. Its officials had been notified about the incident.
The commuters of Manmad-Mumbai Panchavati Express had complained to the railway administration in January regarding the poor upkeep of coaches.
