Thane: In the wake of back-to-back fatalities caused by overcrowding on Mumbai’s suburban railway network, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) have moved to introduce bus services between Thane, Dombivli and Kalyan to reduce pressure on packed local trains.
The decision comes a week after 18-year-old HSC student Soham Kathare fell to his death from an overcrowded local train between Mumbra and Kalwa stations on the morning of his Class XII board examination. Kathare was travelling on the heavily crowded Kalyan–CSMT corridor on February 11 when he reportedly fell from the footboard of a moving train.
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His death followed another tragic incident just days earlier. On January 31, 28-year-old Chetana Devrukhkar fell from a crowded local train during the morning rush at Badlapur railway station on the Central Line and later succumbed to her injuries. The two incidents have intensified commuter anger over chronic overcrowding, especially on the Thane–Dombivli stretch, which has witnessed multiple such accidents over the years.
According to a Hindustan Times report quoting civic officials, KDMC plans to begin the new bus service with two 40-seater buses, operating four peak-hour trips in each direction. TMC, meanwhile, is set to receive 303 electric buses under the Centre’s PM E-Bus Seva Yojana, with a portion expected to be deployed on the Thane–Dombivli route.
The move reportedly gathered momentum after KDMC BJP corporator Deepesh Mhatre met senior civic officials last week, demanding immediate bus connectivity between Dombivli and Thane to reduce reliance on overcrowded suburban trains. Within days, both civic bodies initiated plans to operationalise services via the Mankoli–Mothagaon bridge.
KDMC officials stated that the service is likely to begin in the first week of March, connecting Majiwada on Ghodbunder Road in Thane with Mothagaon in Dombivli West. The route has become feasible following the opening of the Mankoli–Mothagaon bridge, which has cut travel distance by more than 10 km and provided direct access to the Mumbai–Nashik Highway.
Earlier proposals were dropped due to longer and time-consuming routes via the Bhiwandi Bypass or the Shilphata–Mumbra stretch, both notorious for peak-hour congestion. Officials added that the opening of the Kharegaon bridge is also expected to ease traffic bottlenecks.
Civic authorities said a large number of commuters travel daily from Dombivli to Thane’s commercial hubs, including Wagle Estate and Ghodbunder Road. The proposed bus services aim to divert a section of this daily rush from the suburban rail network, particularly during peak hours, and provide a safer alternative for commuters.
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