Central Railway upgrades toilets at Thane and Kalyan stations with DMart Foundation, five-year upkeep

Central Railway (CR) has improved toilet facilities for passengers at Thane and Kalyan railway stations. The work was done in partnership with DMart Foundation under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

The two bodies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), under which the toilet blocks at both stations will be improved and maintained for five years. The initiative aims to improve sanitation facilities, particularly for women passengers, and to ensure regular upkeep.

According to a press release issued on Friday by CR Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila, the new facilities at Thane station were opened to passengers on November 5. The facilities at Kalyan station have been in use since August 28.

At Thane, the facilities are at the Kalyan-end of platform number 2. The women's toilet block has four units, of which three are Indian-style and one is Western-style. One unit is reserved for passengers with disabilities.

The men's block has 11 urinals and three Indian-style toilets. An exhaust system has also been installed to control odour. Six staff members are deployed round the clock for cleaning and upkeep. Passengers can use the toilets without any additional charge.

Thane station currently has a total of 40 urinals, 10 toilets, 17 wash basins, two facilities for people with disabilities and 14 toilets for women.

At Kalyan station, two toilet blocks have been rebuilt. One is towards Kasara on platforms 2 and 3, and the other towards Karjat on platforms 6 and 7. The women's facility has nine toilet units, including provision for people with disabilities. The men's block has nine urinals and four Indian-style toilets.

A total of 19 staff members have been deployed round the clock for cleaning and maintenance here.

Kalyan is an NSG-1 category station. With seven platforms, it handles both suburban and long-distance passengers. It currently has 52 urinals, 26 toilets, 21 wash basins, three facilities for people with disabilities and 14 toilets for women.

DMart Foundation has deployed separate staff at both stations for regular cleaning and maintenance. According to CR, passengers have responded well to the initiative, and it is hoped that complaints about toilet upkeep will be addressed.

CR and DMart Foundation have earlier joined hands to maintain toilet blocks at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Byculla and Ghatkopar stations.

CR said the initiative is part of its efforts to improve passenger amenities through CSR partnerships and to offer cleaner facilities across its network.