The construction of a concrete road on the crucial Kalyan-Ambarnath route in Ulhasnagar became a subject of controversy.

The contractor was accused of building a new cement road without removing the old one and failing to maintain the correct level in order to save costs. As a result, the shops on the road were lower, while the newly constructed road was at a higher level.

This raised concerns among the shopkeepers, who feared that water might enter their shops during the rainy season. In response to their complaints, local BJP MLA Kumar Ailani inspected the partially completed road and instructed the Public Works Department (PWD) officials to direct the contractor to halt work and develop a plan to prevent water from entering the shops. Ailani further insisted that the remaining work be completed by maintaining the proper level.

The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) also raised objections to the work, accusing both the contractor and the PWD of not adhering to the correct road level. UMC’s city engineer, Tarun Sevkani, emphasized the need for better coordination between the PWD and the UMC to avoid such issues. He stated that since part of the road had been constructed incorrectly, it should first be corrected before continuing with the remaining work.

The state’s PWD department was overseeing the construction of a 3 km stretch of the Kalyan-Ambarnath road in Ulhasnagar, with an allocated budget of Rs 630 million. Kumar Ailani criticised the negligence of the PWD engineer, demanding that action be taken against the responsible official.

In response to the issue, a senior PWD official assured that the section of the road already built would be levelled to avoid inconvenience to shopkeepers. Additionally, the contractor had been instructed to ensure that the remaining road work is completed with the correct level in mind.