KALYAN: Sixteen years after it was constructed, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC) new mayoral residence at Adharwadi finally got its first regular occupant, with mayor Harshali Chaudhari-Thavil performing the vastu shanti puja and entering the bungalow on Wednesday.The bungalow was constructed in 2010. However, a dispute over access to the property kept the residence largely unused for years. Several mayors subsequently attempted to resolve the road issue, but the efforts failed as villagers whose land was required for the access road were reportedly unwilling to part with the land.Even after the civic body spent lakhs of rupees on repairs, the bungalow remained unused. Former mayor Vinita Rane had performed a puja at the residence but chose not to stay there.With prolonged neglect, wooden furniture inside the bungalow was damaged and several portions were affected by termites. The civic administration later undertook extensive repairs to make the premises habitable again.After taking charge as mayor in February, Thavil took up the long-pending access issue. As she travels daily from Titwala to Kalyan, she personally held meetings with villagers and discussed their concerns. Following the resolution of the issues, the access road was finally constructed, paving the way for the mayoral residence to be used.After the road was made accessible and the neglected bungalow was completely repaired, Thavil finally entered the Adharwadi residence on Wednesday, bringing an end to the 16-year wait for the civic property to be put to its intended use.
