While Adhalrao is getting ready to demand an increase in the frequency of the Pune-Lonavala local, Babar supporters said they have already forwarded a list of demands to the Railway Ministry, the Railway General Manager, Mumbai, and the Divisional Railway Manager, Pune.  “We have handed over a letter demanding immediate increase in frequency of local trains. In fact, Babar was supposed to hold a meeting with the railway general manager in Mumbai last week, but it was postponed at the last minute,” said Shiv Sena district deputy chief Sarang Kamthekar.

Babar said besides increasing frequency of locals, he is seeking direct trains to cities like Jaipur and Jodhpur. “When Lalu Prasad was the railway minister, he got trains for people from Bihar. We are going to seek trains for the lakhs of North Indians in Pune for whom there are fewer trains to head home,” said Babar.

The Shiv Sena MP said the people from Rajasthan are forced to change trains to reach Pune and that’s why he is seeking a direct train to the Pink City. He said he would take up all the demands of commuters with the Railway Minister and raise them in the Lok Sabha as well.

Kamthekar said the Sena has already urged the DRM to ensure a halt for the Pune-Indore, Koyana Express and the Pune-Ahmedabad Express at Pimpri. Babar said he was also in favour of direct local trains between Lonavala and Daund. The railways is already working on it. 

Adhalrao said that after the railway budget is presented, he will get an opportunity to present his views. “I am going to forcefully argue for increasing frequency of local trains. Since local trains were started, their frequency has not been increased. This will be raised in the Lok Sabha,” Adhalrao said.

Four electric multiple units (EMUs) shuttle 40 times between Pune and Lonavala every day, catering to about one lakh commuters. In December last year, the then DRM D K Jain had told this paper that he had plans to make local trains available every 15 minutes. However, after his transfer, the Central Railway officials have not made any progress in this regard.

For years now, organisations representing commuters have been fighting for more local train services. Harsha Shah, president of the Railway Pravasi Sangh said, “If the Central Railways want it, they can increase frequency of local trains any time, but nobody wants to take the responsibility.” 

Ten years back, when Suresh Kalmadi was the railway minister, he had announced that frequency of local trains would be increased, said V Borade, a regular commuter, who added that nothing has changed after that.