Deccan Queen celebrates 92nd birthday sans commuters
Renuka Suryavanshi
The most popular train among Pune – Mumbai travellers, Deccan Queen celebrated its 92nd birthday on June 1, 2021.
Started on June 1, 1930, this has been one of the most popular and loved train by travellers from Pune – Mumbai and vice versa for 92 long years. This is the second consecutive year that the train is not operational due to the Covid19 pandemic.
Currently, the Deccan Queen is parked at the Mazgaon dockyard in Mumbai. This year the operations of the train are on hold by the Central railway division due to its poor occupancy.
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For the last many years, Harsha Shah, president, Railway Pravasi Group has been celebrating Deccan Queen’s birthday tirelessly.
Speaking to Pune Pulse, she said, “Every year the birthday of my most adorable train, Deccan Queen is celebrated by our group and regular travellers. I have been celebrating its birthday since I was 5 years old. Today, I am 71 years old, so one can imagine the birthday celebrations have been going on for the last 67 years. Due to Covid19 pandemic, this year and previous year, we were not able to celebrate the birthday, but we held a small celebration at the railway station, where Suresh Jain, station director, Ajay Shingar, station manager, many railway staff, regular travellers, Railway Police Force officials were present.”
This train is unique with its most not so common thing. It is the first train to have a dining car in the railway itself.
A railway official from Pune division said, “This is the second year when the railway is parked at Mazgaon dock since it is not operating and due to poor occupancy.
Train travellers are eagerly waiting for the Covid19 restrictions imposed on the services of train and hoping to be back in their favourite train soon.
The train holds many records, including being India’s first superfast train, first long distance electric train, first train to have a women only car and also to have a dining car.
