Pune Junction railway station (station code: PUNE) is the main railway junction of the city of Pune, India. It is one of the major railway junctions in Maharashtra. Pune Junction consists of 6 platforms. It also has a suburban train network.
It has two accesses, from HH Aga Khan Road on the south and Raja Bahadur Mills Road from the north. It is controlled and regulated by the Pune Police and Central Reserve Police Force.
History
The first passenger train in India ran on 16 April 1853 on the track laid by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai to . The GIPR line was extended to in 1854, then on the south-east side to via Palasdari railway station at the foot of the Western Ghats in 1856. While construction work was in progress across the Bhor Ghat, GIPR opened the – track to the public in 1858. The Pune railway station opened in 1858. The Bhor Ghat incline connecting Palasdari to Khandala was completed in 1862, thereby connecting Mumbai and Pune. The present Pune railway station building was built in 1925.
The Pune–Raichur sector of the Mumbai–Chennai line was opened in stages: the portion from Pune to Barshi Road was opened in 1859, from Barshi Road to Mohol in 1860 and from Mohol to Solapur also in 1860. Work on the line from Solapur southwards began in 1865, and the line was extended to Raichur in 1871.
The Southern Mahratta Railway (SMR) completed the metre-gauge Vasco–Guntakal railway line along with the branch from Londa to Pune via Miraj in 1890. The Pune–Londa main section was converted from metre-gauge to broad gauge in 1971.
Electrification
Railway electrification in India began with the first electric train, between Bombay Victoria Terminus and Kurla, by the GIPR on 3 February 1925, on 1.5 kV DC. The Kalyan–Pune section was electrified with a 1.5 kV DC overhead system in 1930.
The previously used 1.5 kV DC was converted to 25 kV AC on 5 May 2013 from Kalyan to Khopoli and Kalyan to Kasara. Conversion from 1.5 kV DC to 25 kV AC on the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Thane–Kalyan section was completed on 12 January 2014. The CSMT to LTT section was converted from 1.5 kV DC to 25 kV AC on 8 June 2015. The Kasara–Pune section was also converted from 1.5 kV DC to 25 kV AC in 2010.
The Pune–Daund–Bhigwan section was electrified in 2017.
The Pune–Miraj section is being electrified as of 2020.
Infrastructure
This station has three footbridges with a skywalk. Elevator service is available on the footbridge. Plans are being made to upgrade the station to greater standards.
As a protection against the coronavirus, Central Railway's Railway Protection Force has deployed a robot, 'Captain Arjun', to screen patients and enhance security surveillance at the station. Its electronic eyes are useful for screening passengers during boarding. The robot will help protect passengers and rail staff from infection in addition to performing security maintenance. The robot is equipped with motion sensors, one pan-tilt-zoom camera and a dome camera, which uses artificial intelligence to track suspicious or anti-social mischief makers in the station. Recently, Indian Railways has also launched its first food truck at the Railway station. It is maintained by the Quick Service Restaurant brand Jumboking. In addition to this, there are 14 food stalls which are currently functional at the Pune Railway station as per IRSDC. These are located at different parts of the station and platforms. Other amenities in the station include waiting halls, dormitories, retiring rooms, cloak rooms, book stalls, health kiosks, pay and use toilets, SBI credit card kiosks, ATMs, water vending machines, pay and park and many others for the convenience of passengers. Facility management at the station is facilitated by The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC). As part of its modernisation and beautification of the station, IRSDC is taking various initiatives and measures to upgrade facilities in and around the railway station. Some of these are undertaken in collaboration with leading third-party vendors.
Maldhakka Goods Yard
Maldhakka is the freight depot of the Pune Railway Station and consists of two railway sheds. All freight trains are loaded and unloaded at this depot. The entrance to the goods yard is situated at Maldhakka Chowk.
Power
The station is powered by a solar power plant and emergency diesel generators. The 160 kWp solar power plant generates around 2.4 lakh units (kWh) annually. Funded by Persistent CSR, Sunshot built the plant in June 2016. This project was replicated for the Hyderabad Deccan railway station.