#MV Bureau

Mumbai | The Maharashtra Railway Passengers Association is up in arms over the decision to shift the starting point of the Netravati Express from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to Panvel for a month.

Association representatives Unnikrishnan Chidangil, Sivaprasad Nair, Raghunathan Nair, Jayachandran Mayadevi Sayan, and Sumi Gentry gathered at Panvel railway station to voice their protest. They engaged with passengers, discussing the hardships caused by this change, and assured them that they would take up the matter with railway authorities to seek an early resolution.

Raghunathan Nair said that the facilities for passengers at Panvel station were very limited, causing significant inconvenience for commuters. He added that it was impractical for many people to travel from various parts of Mumbai to board the train from Panvel.

Several passengers echoed these concerns, urging the railways to swiftly reconsider the decision and revert to LTT as the starting point for Netravati Express.

A passenger Juraij shared his frustration, noting that relying on local trains to reach Panvel during the monsoon was unreliable as they often run late. "We had to take an Uber cab from Mira Road to reach Panvel, only to be informed that the train would depart in the evening. The hardships imposed by the railway authorities are indescribable," he added.

Pramod, another traveler bound for Thrissur, shared his predicament. "We are coming from Muscat. I chose to travel via Mumbai due to the high airfare to Kerala. However, upon arriving in Mumbai, I discovered that the train's starting point had been shifted to Panvel. After the long journey from Muscat, I was forced to come here," he said.

Two other passengers bound for Malappuram too shared their bitter experiences and the financial and physical hardships they were put to.