Dombivli railway station has reported cleanliness concerns in areas behind the platforms, beneath staircases and pedestrian bridges, where passengers and commuter representatives say accumulated garbage, stagnant water and construction material are creating unhygienic conditions.
The report, published on September 2, says the visible platform areas are cleaned regularly, but less-visible sections of the station contain piles of soil and waste, foul odour, insects and mosquitoes. The allegations were reported by Loksatta – Thane based on accounts from passengers and local suburban railway commuter organisations.
According to the report, stray dogs move through the waste-affected areas and are also seen on the platforms. Passengers said the dogs approach fish baskets unloaded from local trains, while waste and construction debris remain near the station’s rear sections. The report also says that people consuming cannabis and alcohol have previously been detained by police in these areas.
Work on a pedestrian bridge between platforms one and five has reportedly been underway for the past two years. Construction materials, debris, gravel and sacks are lying in parts of the station, including areas below railway staircases and footbridges. Passengers said rainwater collects in some of the waste-filled sections, creating conditions that can support mosquito breeding.
Lata Aragade, president of the Suburban Railway Passenger Federation, said the railway administration should conduct a dedicated cleaning drive in the rear and neglected sections, in addition to the routine cleaning carried out in visible platform areas. Shailesh Raut, president of the Kalyan-Kasara Railway Passenger Association, called for regular cleaning of rear station areas, staircases and spaces below pedestrian bridges.
The passenger groups have asked the railway administration to remove accumulated waste and construction debris and to establish regular cleaning in areas that are not immediately visible to commuters. The supplied report does not include a response from the railway administration or details of any announced clearance schedule.
