Special place for Deccan Queen among Punekars as commuters celebrate train's birthday

Indian Express

2 days ago

COMMUTERS and die-hard fans of the Deccan Queen, the express train which runs between Pune and Mumbai, celebrated its birthday in style on platform number one at Pune Railway station. The celebrations were held from as early as 6.30 in the morning.
The Deccan Queen on June 1, 2025 completed 95 years and entered its 96th year. The train was started on June 1, 1930. The train, in all these years, had only one major mishap in 1990, when a few bogies had jumped tracks at Khandala Ghat.
'In the initial years, it had seven coaches… Now it has 16 coaches. It is one of the oldest trains being run in the country. It always leaves on time and is therefore highly popular among commuters, especially office-goers and businessmen and women,' said Harsha Shah, president of the Railway Pravasi Group, which every year takes the initiative to celebrate the train's birthday. The train leaves Pune railway station at 7.10 in the morning and reaches Mumbai at 10.40 am.
And it was no different on Sunday as loyal passengers who have regularly travelled to Mumbai from Pune for years and fans of the train gathered ahead of the train's leaving for Mumbai at Pune Railway Station. They decorated the train with festoons and ribbon. The train was garlanded as well. As the crowd swelled and cellphones captured the enthusiastic moment, a cake was cut in the presence of Railway officials, activists and commuters. Some commuters even broke into an impromptu jig as the band in attendance spiked their tempo.
Shah said she was just five years old when she first travelled with her uncle to Mumbai. 'And since then, for decades now, I have always preferred the Deccan Queen or Dakkhan Ki Rani to travel to Mumbai. The train has a dinning car with table service which very few in the country boast of… The passengers who regularly travel have formed a special bond among themselves,' she said.
Speaking about the mishap in 1990, Shah said, 'Deccan Queen has been the safest train for commuters. I do not remember any major mishap with the train except in 1990 when some 10 bogies had jumped track in Khandala Ghat following heavy rain. There were no casualties,' she said.
'I am a fan of Deccan Queen…It is my favourite train,' said another commuter. Shah said commuters who travel by Deccan Queen consider it as part of their family. 'The passengers have a special place for Deccan Queen in their hearts,' she said.
Shah said the enthusiasm among commuters and fans in celebrating the birthday of the train remained intact. 'They all turn up on their own. Each one it seems waits to celebrate the birthday of their Deccan Queen,' she said.
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