Kalyan: Bringing major relief to motorists in Kalyan and Dombivli as well as the neighbouring cities of Ulhasnagar, Ambernath and Badlapur, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has completed repair and maintenance work on the Waldhuni railway overbridge in record time of eight days. The bridge will be reopened for motorists on Monday morning.KDMC had sought permission from the traffic police to close the bridge for 20 days — from December 20, 2025 to January 10, 2026 — to carry out extensive repair work. Owing to round-the-clock efforts and the deployment of additional machinery, the civic body completed the work in just eight days.Constructed and opened to traffic in 1998, the Waldhuni railway overbridge is a vital traffic artery connecting Kalyan with Ulhasnagar, Ambernath and Badlapur. It handles extremely heavy traffic throughout the day, making it difficult to undertake regular maintenance. Over the years, repeated potholes had developed on the bridge surface, slowing traffic movement and frequently leading to jams.During the temporary closure, commuters faced severe congestion on alternate routes, particularly as the shutdown coincided with the election period. However, KDMC officials said the inconvenience was minimised by accelerating the pace of work.The repair contract was awarded to Shah Engineers, with Jai Bharat Construction engaged as the subcontractor. Officials said the agency worked day and night using extra machinery to meet the deadline. As part of the repairs, the old bitumen layer on the bridge was completely removed, significantly reducing the dead load on the structure. A new layer of Dense Bituminous Macadam, along with highly viscous bituminous mastic has now been laid, which is expected to substantially extend the life of the bridge surface.KDMC project in-charge Rohini Lokare said that as per the quality standards followed, potholes are unlikely to appear for at least five years. She added that under the contract terms, the contractor will be responsible for maintenance of the road for the next five yearsOfficials said the smooth road surface will help reduce traffic congestion, improve connectivity, and save valuable time for motorists, restoring normal traffic flow across the region.
