July 9, 2025: Barely four days after its long-delayed inauguration, Mumbai’s Palava flyover has come under sharp criticism from commuters and safety experts for its perilous surface and substandard execution. Conceived to ease congestion along the Shilphata-Kalyan corridor, the Rs 250 crore structure is now being dubbed a “skidding zone”. With multiple riders already injured and complaints of loose gravel, cement residue, and exposed iron rods surfacing, public frustration is growing as authorities rush to issue explanations and begin urgent patchwork repairs.
Spanning 562 metres, the flyover was designed to cut travel time along the busy Kalyan-Shilphata route from 45 minutes to just 10. However, its opening has raised more alarm than acclaim. Commuters report slippery asphalt, incomplete surfacing, and hazardous conditions that have led to several accidents. Nearly 450 metres have already undergone temporary repairs, with experts citing improper mastic asphalt layering and poor bonding as key contributors to the issues. Calls for a full structural audit and disclosure of expenditure are intensifying, as concerns mount over construction quality and monitoring failures.
Initially proposed in 2018 with twin carriageways, the project was revised in 2020 to accommodate the Indian Railways’ freight corridor. Delayed approvals, repeated halts, and cost escalations plagued the build, fuelling protests and criticism. Despite reassurances of timely completion, the finished structure now features uneven surfaces, exposed reinforcements, and patchy finishes—triggering worries about systemic lapses in project oversight.
Given the flyover’s strategic link between Dombivli, Kalyan, Thane, and Navi Mumbai, experts stress the urgent need for preventive maintenance and independent quality checks. The Palava episode underscores the perils of rushed execution and inadequate accountability in public infrastructure. Without robust supervision and long-term safeguards, experts warn, commuter safety will remain dangerously compromised.
Source: Urban Acres
