Nagpur: Ajni Railway Station, a crucial hub for commuters from South and West Nagpur, resumed train operations on Tuesday after a hiatus of nearly 100 days. The station, which handles originating and terminating trains as well as train stoppages, had been temporarily closed for redevelopment work under the Rs 300 crore project by the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA). However, passengers have raised concerns about the poor condition of the station, with many amenities still missing despite the extended closure.
The station’s platforms number 2 and 3 were out of service from September 12 to December 10 due to construction activities, with the closure extended by an additional eight days. While trains resumed as scheduled, passengers expressed frustration over the lack of basic facilities.
Today's Rate
Wed 18 Dec. 2024
A regular commuter to Wardha said, “Both platforms are in a worse condition than before. The surface is uneven, making it difficult to walk, especially with luggage. There are no platform shades, the lighting is poor, and there’s no access to drinking water or toilets. It’s hard to believe this is a major railway station – it feels like a ‘D’ grade station.”
In addition to the basic amenities, passengers pointed out the lack of accessibility features. “There are no escalators on platforms 1 and 2, especially on the Wardha-end. Senior citizens and Divyang passengers will still have to use the foot-over-bridge (FOB) or take a long detour from the Nagpur-end,” said another traveller. “After a 100-day closure, we expected some modern facilities, but nothing has changed.”
Central Railway officials confirmed that all mail/express and MEMU trains resumed operations from both platforms at Ajni on Tuesday. However, they stated that the restoration of passenger amenities is the responsibility of the RLDA. The redevelopment includes the construction of a new concourse, which necessitated the closure of platforms 2 and 3.
As part of the ongoing redevelopment, the east side station building is 65% complete, and the Type IV quarters are 80% finished. Work on the west side station building is at 20% completion, while the concourse is 25% complete. “Refurbishment of the platforms will begin after the concourse is completed,” said railway officials. They assured that the redevelopment would eventually lead to improved facilities, better passenger amenities, and enhanced connectivity, contributing to the region’s economic development.
“Refurbishment of the platforms will commence after the concourse is launched. The ongoing redevelopment of Ajni station is expected to bring state-of-the-art facilities, improved passenger amenities, and better connectivity, contributing significantly to the region’s economic development,” said railway officials.
Resumption of halts/boarding
* Nagpur-Wardha MEMU at 8 am daily, except Sundays
* Gondia-Kolhapur Exp at 10.50 am (Daily)
* Shalimar-LTT at 1.45 pm (Daily)
*Nagpur-Kolhapur Exp at 3:24 pm (Tuesdays & Saturdays)
* Gondia-CSTM Vidarbha Exp at 5.10 pm daily
* Nagpur-Pune Exp at 6 pm (Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)
* Nagpur-Pune Exp (12136) at 6 pm (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays)
* Nagpur-CSMT (12140) at 9.25 pm daily
Originating from Ajni
*Ajni-Amravati Exp at 6.30 pm daily
* Ajni-Pune Exp at 7:50 pm (Tuesdays)
* Ajni-Pune Exp at 7.50 pm (Sundays)
Terminating trains
* Amravati-Ajni Exp at 8:15 am
* Pune-Ajni Exp at 4:50 am
* Pune-Ajni Exp at 12:50 hrs
