Contractor appointed for four-lane flyover at Mothagaon rail crossing in Dombivli

The way is now clear for a four-lane flyover at the Mothagaon railway crossing in Dombivli. The municipal administration has appointed a contractor to build the bridge. This indicates that residents of Dombivli and the surrounding areas will soon be relieved of traffic congestion.

The state government has already sanctioned about Rs 97 crore for the project. With the contractor chosen, actual work can now begin. The target is to complete construction within 18 months of the work order being issued.

Earlier, motorists travelling from Dombivli towards Thane, Mumbai or Bhiwandi had to make a long detour via the Kalyan-Shil or Kalyan-Nashik roads. As a remedy, the Mothagaon-Mankoli bridge was built over the Ulhas river, and travel became easier. But the road leading to this bridge passes over the gate of the JNPT railway line. Motorists therefore had to wait for hours for the gate to open. Residents were troubled by this constant congestion, and locals had been continuously pursuing a solution.

The new four-lane flyover will be about 750 metres long. It will begin at the Mankoli bridge, pass over the rail crossing and reach the next junction. To keep traffic moving smoothly there, the bridge's four lanes will come down in two different directions. Two lanes will land on the road leading to Samrat Chowk, while the remaining two will land on the road leading to the H ward area office.

The bridge has a long history. In 2007, the office-bearers of the time demanded a bridge. The initial proposal was for a single-lane bridge with a smaller outlay, but it was scrapped because of the DFCC project. The issue resurfaced in 2023, in view of rising accidents and inconvenience to citizens. Considering future traffic growth, it was insisted that the bridge should be four-lane rather than single-lane. The state government finally approved the proposal for a four-lane bridge. The process of acquiring the land of affected residents in the project's path, with compensation at government rates, has also been completed.

The Mankoli bridge has already made travel easier for people coming from rural Bhiwandi. With the Mothagaon flyover, connecting to Dombivli city will save a great deal of time for vegetable vendors, daily commuters going to work and people heading out to shop. With the wait at the rail gate ending, there is a strong likelihood that Dombivli's overall traffic system will become faster and smoother.