Thane and Kalyan railway stations have received upgraded toilet facilities under a five-year partnership between Central Railway and DMart Foundation, with dedicated staff assigned to maintain the blocks at no additional cost to passengers.
The organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding under DMart Foundation’s corporate social responsibility initiative to improve sanitation facilities and ensure regular upkeep, particularly for women commuters. Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila announced the upgrades in a press release.
At Thane station, the upgraded facilities are located on Platform No. 2 at the Kalyan end. The ladies’ toilet block has four units, including three Indian-style toilets and one Western-style toilet. One unit has been designated for persons with disabilities.
The gents’ block contains 11 urinals and three Indian-style toilets. An exhaust system has also been installed to help prevent bad odour. Six personnel have been deployed around the clock to clean and maintain the facilities.
The upgraded Thane toilets were opened to passengers on November 5. The station currently has 40 urinals, 10 lavatories, 17 wash basins, two facilities for persons with disabilities and 14 ladies’ toilets, according to Central Railway.
At Kalyan station, two toilet blocks have been upgraded. They are located on Platforms 2 and 3 at the Kasara end and Platforms 6 and 7 at the Karjat end. The ladies’ facilities comprise nine toilet units, including provisions for persons with disabilities. The gents’ blocks have nine urinals and four Indian-style toilets.
Central Railway said 19 personnel have been deployed around the clock at Kalyan to handle cleaning and maintenance. The facilities became operational on August 28.
Kalyan is classified as an NSG1 station and handles both suburban and long-distance passenger traffic across its seven platforms. The station currently has 52 urinals, 26 lavatories, 21 wash basins, three facilities for persons with disabilities and 14 ladies’ toilets.
The partnership places maintenance, rather than only construction or refurbishment, at the centre of the intervention. Central Railway said the facilities had received a positive response from passengers and that the arrangement was expected to address complaints about upkeep.
The initiative follows similar collaborations between Central Railway and DMart Foundation for toilet-block maintenance at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Byculla and Ghatkopar stations. Central Railway said the CSR partnerships form part of its efforts to improve passenger amenities and provide cleaner, more hygienic facilities across its network.
The five-year MoU will cover regular cleaning and maintenance of the upgraded toilet blocks at Thane and Kalyan, with dedicated staff deployed by DMart Foundation at both stations.
