Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Nanded-Mumbai Tapovan Express, which has earned a dubious distinction for very heavy crowding over the years, is scheduled to witness increased passenger capacity. As per an official announcement made on Monday, the train will have two additional coaches from April 29, which is likely to offer some relief to the passengers.
Shripad Ratnaparkhe, a private professional who commutes between Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik in the Tapovan Express, said boarding the train along with his family members is a daunting task. "Despite having reserved tickets, it is tough to reach the allocated seats in the train. The train is so crowded that you struggle to board it, but once onboard you cannot move forward. Getting tickets in AC coaches by paying higher prices is the only solution," he said.
Railway activist Raj Somani said the Tapovan Express should have got additional coaches long ago. "To address the issue of crowding, the railway authorities in the past converted a pantry car into passenger coaches. Such a measure was inadequate. In addition to a couple of extra coaches announced by the authorities, the train should get more coaches and proper supervision," he said.
Besides the Tapovan Express, the Manmad-Dharmabad Marathwada Express has also witnessed the permanent addition of two coaches.
New Weekly Train to Tirupati
The Ministry of Railways on Monday announced a new weekly train on the Akola-Tirupati route for the benefit of passengers. The train (17429/17430) will have its maiden journey from Akola on May 3.
