Goof-up in train timings, no food, say Maharashtra students back from Delhi

KALYAN: A special train carrying over 1,000 students from Maharashtra, who were preparing for various competitive exams in Delhi, returned home late Sunday. The train reached Kalyan station at 10.30 pm where around 150 students from Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts alighted. The remaining students alighted at Pune.
Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, who had facilitated their evacuation, was at the station to receive them.
From Kalyan, the students were sent to their homes in buses arranged by the government, while parents of some students had come to pick them up.
The students, who were relieved to be back home, complained about mismanagement by the Delhi Government and said the Railways had not arranged food for them on the train.
Rajesh Bonawate, a student, told TOI, “We were informed by the Delhi government authorities that the train would depart at 4 pm on Saturday. Hence, we reached the station at 10 am for medical check-up and screening, but the train left at 10 pm. We were not provided any food on the train either.”
Another student, Sagar Borade, said volunteers from MP Shrikant Shinde’s foundation provided snacks at Delhi station, and also made arrangements to serve them food at Bhusaval station.
On learning students from the State were stuck in Delhi, Shinde had taken up the issue with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.