Cong leaders not invited for inauguration of overbridge

However, Congress leader in KDMC Santosh Kene has taken strong exception to the fact that nobody from the Congress, NCP or its allies is mentioned in the printed-in-saffron invite for the programme. “Looks like it must be drilled into the Sena-BJP that there has been a change of guard in the state,” he told Express Newsline.

Mayor Shahu Samant (Sena) felt: “It was unnecessary to call any Congress leaders. The bridge was built due to the Sena-BJP government’s initiative and the efforts of then Union railway minister Ram Naik. Why should we give credit where it is not due?”

The BJP members have also expressed reservations on the non-inclusion of Ram Kapse in the list of invitees. Kapse was instrumental in coordinating between the Centre and KDMC during his tendure as MP.

The overbridge will facilitate traffic flow on the Kalyan-Badlapur road, which will now go over the busy Kalyan-Kasara raliway corridor and the railway goods yard beyond. The project, which had dragged on since 1995, was in its earler avatar merely restricted to the Kalyan-Kasara corridor. In February 1998, the plan was revised as flooding in the subway under the goods yard line would have compromised the bridge’s benefits.

Asked why this was ignored when the origninal blueprint was drawn, Ugale said: “It was realised later.” Work on the new plan began in June 1998.

The overbridge, which is 580 metres in length, begins in a straight line from the Kalyan end and turns in a curve over the goods yard before going down at Waldhuni. Along with reducing traffic congestion, it will also eliminate long waits for trains coming or going north due to the railway signals at the level crossing.

There have already been five freak accidents on the bridge since September, and traffic police in Kalyan have criticised the plan. “The bridge does not meet Subhash Chowk Circle in the centre but ends toward the right, so motorists coming from Murbad road toward Kalyan will only get to know of a vehicle hurtling down the bridge after it has come too close. This will lead to mishaps,” said a traffic policeman.

Admtting that the chowk’s present plan does not meet the Indian Road Congress’ specifications, Ugle said, “We are planning to move the statue from the centre and build a small traffic island at the point where the bridge ends at the road.” But traffic police are not sure that will help much. “The safety aspect seems to have been neglected totally in the design,” they said.