26-bed dormitory at Pune station all set for a facelift

PUNE: The rate to book beds at the dormitory of the Pune railway station may increase as the facility gets an upgrade. Pune-based BVG Group has taken over facility management at the station after it was given to the Indian Railways Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC).
“The upgrade will provide better facilities to passengers. A plan is being prepared to brand the dormitory of the Pune station and the place will be given a new look. We want to commercialize the facility,” Gautam Chheda, associate vice president (domestic and international business) of BVG India, told TOI.
The Pune station has a 26-bed dormitory at present. In addition, six beds have air-conditioning facility. According to sources, all beds in the dormitory are occupied nearly all the time. “One can go to eRail.in, a portal maintained by the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), and book beds at the facility. The cost is between Rs200 and Rs400 for 12 to 24 hours,” said a railway official.
The facility has faced a sizeable share of passenger complaints too. Last year, many complaints were received regarding bed bugs. “We want to provide a system under which if a passenger leaves the dormitory, the availability factor should be known to passengers on the portal itself. If we are upgrading the dormitory with better facilities the rates should be flexible. For instance, during the festival season, the rates could be higher. The idea is to ensure that passengers get better facilities and the railways get a decent income,” Gautam said.
Prashant K, a regular passenger travelling to Pune, said, “People use dormitories as they have a low tariff. Also, people stay there for only a few hours. I don’t think that the rates should fluctuate much.”
Railway Pravasi Group president Harsha Shah also agreed that rates should not be very high. “If the rates are high, why should people stay in the dormitory? They can check into a nearby hotel,” she said.