Pune Railway Station’s Big Crowd Fix: 10,000-Passenger Holding Area Coming Soon, No More Platform Chaos

A permanent passenger holding area will be built outside Pune railway station to improve safety and reduce overcrowding, especially during peak travel seasons and festival rush periods.

Railway officials have identified around 5,800 square metres of land behind the MSRTC Pune station bus stand for the new passenger holding facility project.

The planned holding area will be developed on the lines of the facility at Delhi railway station to manage passenger movement in a more organised manner.

Officials said the facility will have seating, drinking water and essential amenities, with the capacity to hold nearly 10,000 passengers at one time safely.

The area will function as a pre-boarding zone with ticket counters, CCTV cameras, security checks and digital train information boards for regulated passenger movement.

Pune station handles up to 1.6 lakh passengers daily, with numbers rising sharply during holidays, often leading to severe crowding and safety concerns on platforms.

Discussions are underway for transferring the bus stand land to railways, while MSRTC may receive alternative land near Maldhakka goods shed for a modern bus terminal.