Angered by the eight-year-long delay in completing the Palava flyover on Kalyan-Shil Road, Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS jointly staged a powerful protest on Saturday, slamming the ruling party for “cheating citizens” with repeated false deadlines, including the most recent one—May 31. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLA Rajesh More, when contacted, told LokmatTimes.com that “98% of the work is done” and the bridge will be opened by end of June, blaming the recent rains for the delay.
Daily commuters in Palava continue to suffer from severe traffic congestion due to the incomplete bridge, with school closures reported at times. Protesters alleged that citizens have been misled for years with fake inauguration dates and zero accountability. “The people have been fooled enough. This protest is to raise their voice,” said protest organisers.
The demonstration was held under the guidance of Shiv Sena (UBT) Kalyan District Chief Dipesh Pundalik Mhatre and included participation from both Dombivli and Kalyan Rural Sena units. MNS leader and former MLA Pramod (Raju) Patil also joined the protest, declaring unity between the two parties on public issues.
Speaking to LokmatTimes.com, MLA More said, “This bridge is being built by MSRDC. I recently inspected the work. It was delayed due to sudden rains. We are not making noise on social media—we are working on ground.” He added that final works like slab finishing and concreting are underway. When asked about the opposition protests, More said, “They are opposing for the sake of it.” He reassured that the bridge would be operational by the end of June, easing the traffic woes of residents.
Despite the assurance, protestors remain skeptical, saying they will continue their agitation until citizens get real results—not just promises.