Mumbai: The long-pending widening and concretisation of the Kalyan-Shilphata Road has cleared a major hurdle, with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) taking a decision to provide compensation of around Rs 138 crore to landowners affected by the project. The decision is expected to pave the way for the resumption of stalled work on the crucial road, which connects Kalyan-Dombivli with Thane and Navi Mumbai and serves as an important link for daily commuters and commercial traffic. The widening project had been delayed for several years because of disputes over land acquisition and compensation. Several affected landowners had opposed the terms of compensation for land acquired for the project, resulting in work remaining incomplete at various stretches. The issue was taken up in the presence of Kalyan Lok Sabha MP Dr Shrikant Shinde. Following discussions, MSRDC Vice Chairman and Managing Director Anilkumar Gaikwad handed over letters regarding compensation to the affected landowners. The MSRDC has approved approximately Rs 138 crore as compensation for the land acquired for the road project. The decision is significant as the Kalyan-Shilphata Road is one of the region’s busiest arterial routes. Incomplete widening work and bottlenecks along the road have been contributing to severe traffic congestion, particularly around Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath and Badlapur, affecting motorists travelling towards Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mumbai. Dr Shinde and local people’s representatives had been following up on the issue of compensation with the authorities. The latest decision is expected to facilitate the acquisition of the remaining land required for the project and enable MSRDC to accelerate the pending civil works. According to officials and local representatives, once the compensation-related issues are resolved, work on widening and concretisation can progress at a faster pace. Completion of the project is expected to significantly improve traffic movement along the corridor and reduce congestion at key junctions. The improved road will also provide better connectivity to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and is expected to complement the upcoming Metro Line 12 and Metro Line 12A projects. The development of supporting infrastructure along the corridor is expected to further strengthen connectivity between Kalyan-Dombivli, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mumbai. The project had faced opposition from farmers and landowners because of disagreements over compensation for land acquired for road construction. With the MSRDC now approving the compensation package, officials expect the principal obstacle to the project to be removed. Local residents and commuters have long demanded completion of the widening work, pointing out that unfinished stretches, narrow sections and bottlenecks have resulted in persistent traffic snarls. The latest decision is therefore being viewed as an important step towards completing the long-awaited Kalyan-Shilphata Road upgrade and easing pressure on the region’s road network.
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