Platform 3 Chaos Leaves Parli Passengers Missing Akola Train

Chaos erupted at Parli Vaijnath railway station after an Akola-bound train was incorrectly placed on Platform No. 3, even though Platform No. 1 was available. The last-minute decision led hundreds of passengers, including the elderly and families with young children, to struggle with heavy bags while crossing the foot overbridge (FOB) to reach the correct platform.

Several travelers discovered their train had already departed before they could make it to Platform No. 3, which was being rebuilt at the time, covered in construction debris and rubble. The incident unfolded around 1:30pm on Friday when the Pandharpur–Akola train arrived at the station. Those at the main entrance on Platform No. 1 were surprised by the platform allocation and found themselves stranded on the stairs as the train left.

Adding to the confusion, the Pandharpur–Nizamabad train arrived on Platform No. 1 shortly after, but many stranded passengers mistakenly believed it would reach their destination, only to find out it ended at Nizamabad. The situation was further complicated by the ongoing redevelopment work on Platform No. 3, creating a hazardous environment for commuters rushing to their destinations.

Shaikh Nizam, a passenger affected by the incident, expressed frustration, stating, "We were waiting at Platform 1. When we heard the announcement that the Akola train was on Platform 3, everyone rushed towards the stairs. By the time we crossed the foot overbridge and reached Platform 3, the train had already left." Local commuter advocates have criticized the incident, with Adv.

Manoj Appa Sankaye of the Railway Passengers’ Association calling for immediate accountability. He argued that trains to Akola should ideally be assigned to Platform No. 1 for passenger convenience and urged authorities to clear the construction debris from Platform No. 3 promptly and ensure essential facilities like drinking water were functional.