The redevelopment of Thane and Kalyan railway stations will be delayed until substantial progress is made on the ongoing Rs 2,450 crore modernisation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), according to railway development officials. This staggered approach, they say, is aimed at preventing large-scale service disruptions across Mumbai’s heavily used rail network.
Currently, the CSMT project has achieved only about 15 per cent progress. Officials have set a target of at least 50 to 60 per cent completion before taking up the equally ambitious Thane and Kalyan overhauls. Once construction activity at CSMT intensifies, multiple operational blocks will be needed, affecting both long-distance and suburban services. Launching parallel works at Thane and Kalyan during this period would risk additional line closures, timetable changes, and passenger inconvenience on the city’s busiest rail corridors. A senior Central Railway official noted that careful phasing was essential to protect commuter interests. “The moment work at CSMT accelerates, operational flexibility will shrink. We need breathing room before opening up similar work zones at Thane and Kalyan,” the official explained.
The redevelopment plans for Thane are significant in scale. Designed in coordination with Thane Smart City Limited, the project envisions a multi-modal transit hub to improve connectivity and passenger flow. The east side of the station will feature an 11-storey commercial complex with a basement, tapping into a total site area of 1.1 lakh square metres. Handling over 6.5 lakh passengers daily, Thane serves more than 1,000 train services across 10 platforms. Enhancements will include 20 lifts, 17 escalators, and three travelators, aimed at sustainable, accessible, and efficient movement. Kalyan’s redevelopment will be pursued through a public-private partnership model, with final designs in preparation. As a critical interchange in the Mumbai suburban system, Kalyan’s upgrade will focus on passenger safety, congestion relief, and improved integration with other modes of transport.
Experts in transport planning emphasise that spreading out large infrastructure works is key to maintaining Mumbai’s economic rhythm. Given the high dependency on suburban rail — the city’s lifeline — even minor timetable shifts can impact millions. The deferral, they argue, is not a setback but a strategic step towards delivering modern, resilient, and equitable transport hubs without paralysing daily operations. With sustainable design elements, commercial integration, and a focus on inclusive passenger amenities, both Thane and Kalyan projects align with the city’s vision for greener, more accessible urban transit. While commuters will have to wait longer for these upgraded facilities, officials stress that the delay is intended to ensure that, when complete, the stations serve the city with minimal compromise to service reliability.
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