Passengers using parcel services at Pune Junction railway station to transport two-wheelers and other vehicles between cities allege harassment, overcharging, poor handling of vehicles, and lack of accountability on the part of railway parcel staff. Multiple complaints have been raised on ‘X’ in recent days about negligence in vehicle transportation, and inadequate response from railway authorities even after registration of complaints.The damaged bike of a Pune citizen. (HT)Citizens allege that despite paying substantial fees for packaging and transport, their vehicles reach the desired destination in a damaged condition or they are forced to deal with delays, vague communication, and additional expenses.One such incident came to light on May 16 when Arin Sharma alleged that he was overcharged for transporting his scooty from Pune to Agra Cantonment. “I am being charged exorbitantly at the parcel office at Pune railway station while sending my scooty to Agra Cantonment. The packaging charges are almost double of what is officially mentioned, and I am also being charged extra for removing petrol from the vehicle,” Sharma posted on ‘X’ while tagging railway authorities including DRM Pune, IRCTC and Rail Madad.Sharma alleged harassment and irresponsible behaviour on the part of the parcel officials during the booking process. “During the two-wheeler parcel booking process at the Pune station parcel office, I faced overcharging, unnecessary harassment and irresponsible behaviour. Even after completing the booking, officials kept giving excuses instead of providing a clear timeline for delivery, and there was no assurance regarding the safety of the vehicle,” he posted on ‘X’.According to Sharma, despite completing all the formalities, railway officials failed to provide clarity regarding dispatch and delivery schedules. He also raised concerns over the safety and handling of vehicles transported through parcel services.In another incident, Chinmay D, who transported his 225cc Ronin motorcycle from Bhopal Junction to Pune Junction via train number 11408 on May 8, alleged that his motorcycle was severely damaged during transit. “I parcelled my 225cc Ronin motorcycle from Bhopal Junction to Pune Junction via train number 11408, but the condition in which the bike was delivered was extremely disappointing. I have formally requested a proper investigation into the matter,” Chinmay posted on ‘X’.“It feels pointless to approach the railways regarding a problem that they themselves created, because nobody appears interested in resolving the issue or even reaching out properly. This has been an extremely disappointing experience,” Chinmay further posted.He also alleged that despite initiating the official claim process, he did not receive any update regarding compensation or resolution of his complaint even after several days. “I have already completed the claim process but till now, I have not received any update or solution regarding the damage caused to my motorcycle. I simply want to know whether or not the railways will provide compensation,” he said.Passengers have demanded stricter monitoring of parcel handling operations at Pune station, transparency in packaging and transportation charges, and proper accountability mechanisms for damage caused during transit.Hemant Kumar Behera, spokesperson for the Pune railway division, said that the railway administration has already received several complaints against the contractor handling parcel services. “We have received multiple complaints regarding overcharging, improper handling of vehicles, and poor passenger service by the contractor managing parcel operations. Earlier too, the contractor had been fined over similar issues. Following recent complaints, the railways has now issued a termination notice to the contractor and the contract will be terminated by May 29. We have directed the contractor to immediately improve services till the contract period ends. If required, further strict action will also be taken as per railway rules,” Behera said.