Thane: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has denied the presence of potholes on the newly inaugurated Katai-Nilje flyover, located at the Palava junction on Dombivli-Manpada Road. The flyover, inaugurated on July 4 by Dombivli MLA Rajesh More from the Eknath Shinde faction, was temporarily closed for few hours after videos appearing to show potholes went viral on social media.

An MSRDC official clarified that the issue was not potholes, but excess bitumen on the road surface. To address this, grid powder was applied. However, heavy rainfall led to the separation of the bitumen and grid powder, creating an appearance of damage. C

ommuters and social activists filmed the condition of the road, leading to widespread criticism online. In response, MSRDC removed the grid powder, cleared the surface, and resumed work on Wednesday.

Dipesh Mhatre, a leader from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction, alleged that some construction work on the Palava flyover remained incomplete at the time of the inauguration, resulting in accidents involving motorists.

“The road is deteriorated. We have submitted a letter to DCP Atul Zende demanding that a case be filed against the contractors responsible for this negligence,” Mhatre said.

He also criticized without taking name of MLA Rajesh More, stating, “We had indeed requested the flyover be opened, but not in its incomplete state. The opposition rushed the inauguration and now the flyover is in poor condition. The surface is uneven, and the top coat has already worn off.”

Former MLA Raju Patil echoed these concerns, accusing the ruling party of inaction against the contractor. “We inspected the bridge in June and found that the work was of substandard quality. We’ve submitted a letter to Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis demanding an audit of the Desai-Nilje-Katai (Palava) flyover by VJTI,” Patil said. He alleged that the rushed inauguration may have endangered the lives of motorists.

Responding to the criticism, MLA Rajesh More stated, “We closed the flyover for a few hours after learning that some motorcycles had skidded due to the presence of oil and bitumen. Grid powder was applied, and the issue was resolved later. The flyover construction is of good quality.”

Construction on the 562-meter-long, four-lane flyover began in December 2021 at a cost of over ₹ 72 crore. Although, two lanes have been completed of cost Rs 36 crore and inaugurated. The structure was opened to the public just six days ago.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Chaudhary, a Dombivli resident, expressed his anger, stating, “The authorities and local politicians are to be blamed for this mess.”