Pune-Nagpur special trains will operate between October 19 and 22 to manage the expected passenger rush for Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, Central Railway said in a press release issued by its Pune Division. The two pairs of unreserved services will connect Pune with Nagpur and provide additional rail capacity for passengers travelling to the annual commemoration.
Train No. 01215, the Pune-Nagpur Special, will depart from Pune at 2.50 pm on October 19 and October 21, reaching Nagpur at 7.30 am the following day. The return service, Train No. 01216, will leave Nagpur at 11 pm on October 20 and October 22, arriving in Pune at 4.20 pm the next day.
The services are being run under the Indian Railways’ Train on Demand arrangement. Dhammachakra Pravartan Din commemorates Dr B R Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism along with around six lakh followers, an event of major social and religious significance. The additional trains are intended to accommodate the anticipated movement of passengers attending the commemoration.
Each train will have 18 coaches. These will include 16 general second-class or sleeper-class coaches operated as unreserved coaches and two guard-cum-luggage vans. Central Railway said all coaches on both services will be operated on an unreserved basis.
Passengers will be able to purchase tickets through the Unreserved Ticketing System, including the UTS mobile application and railway booking counters. Normal fares applicable to Superfast, Mail and Express trains will be charged for the services.
The trains will halt at Daund Chord Line, Ahilyanagar, Belapur, Kopargaon, Ankai, Manmad, Chalisgaon, Pachora, Jalgaon, Bhusaval, Malkapur, Shegaon, Akola, Murtizapur, Badnera, Dhamangaon, Pulgaon, Wardha and Ajni. Ankai will be a passing halt.
The route links Pune with multiple towns and railway junctions across Maharashtra, including the Ahmednagar, Nashik, Khandesh, Vidarbha and Wardha regions. The long-distance service also gives passengers from intermediate stations an additional unreserved travel option during the period of expected higher demand.
Central Railway has advised passengers to verify arrival and departure timings at their stations before beginning their journey. Updated information will be available through the Indian Railways enquiry portal and the National Train Enquiry System, or NTES, mobile application.
