Navi Mumbai


Navi Mumbai is a city in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area, located in the Konkan division of the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Navi Mumbai is situated on the Indian mainland, opposite Salsette Island and the city of Mumbai, and is part of Thane district and Raigad district.
The area within the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has been ranked third among 73 cities surveyed for cleanliness and hygiene by the Union Ministry of Urban Development and the Quality Council of India as part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and is being modified through various projects and developments. Navi Mumbai has, for two consecutive years, held on to the third rank in the Indian Commonwealth Cleanliness Survey — a nationwide sanitation survey of cities — while Mumbai's ranking slipped to 37 in 2023 from 31 in 2022.
Navi Mumbai is home to various educational institutions. Several multinational corporations have their head offices or branches across the city, making it an active business hub. Thane–Belapur Road and Palm Beach Road are major business attractions and upmarket residential areas.

History

In the late 1500s, the Siddis of Janjira built the Belapur Killa, located atop a small hill near the mouth of the Panvel Creek. In 1682, the fort was captured by the Portuguese, who had managed to annex the regions controlled by the Siddis.
In 1733, the Marathas, led by Chimaji Appa, wrested control of the fort from the Portuguese. Appa had made a vow that if it were to be successfully recaptured from the Portuguese, he would place a garland of beli leaves in the nearby Amruthaishwar temple, and after the victory, the fort was christened as Belapur Fort. The Marathas ruled the area until 23 June 1817, when it was captured by Captain Charles Gray of the British East India Company. The British partially destroyed the fort under their policy of razing any Maratha stronghold in the area.
Navi Mumbai’s journey began in the early 1970s, when the Maharashtra government recognized the need for an alternative urban area to relieve the growing pressure on Mumbai, which was then struggling with issues like overcrowding, inadequate housing, and strained infrastructure.

Planning and development

The population of Greater Mumbai doubled from three to nearly six million between 1951 and 1971. The population growth led to a deteriorating quality of life for many in the city.
The Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act was passed in 1966, and the Bombay Metropolitan Region was created in June 1967 and finalized in 1970. The plan called for development, of a twin city across the harbour, on the mainland to the east.
Before Navi Mumbai was made Railway was linked to Panvel railway station with Diva in 1964, in 1966 it was extended to Apta via Rasayani, then in the 1980s to Roha and in phases was linked to the Konkan Railway by 1998, in 1990s Harbour line of Suburban Railway reached Navi Mumbai connecting Vashi, Nerul.
The Board recommended that the new metro-centre or Navi Mumbai as it is now called, be developed to accommodate a population of 2.1 million.
The planning of Navi Mumbai began in 1971 and involved leading architects and urban planners including Adi Kanga, Charles Correa, Shirish Patel, Pravina Mehta and R. K. Jha. The City and Industrial Development Corporation was created as part of these efforts.
The area covered of the Konkan coast. Privately owned land consisting of 86 villages covering within the present limits of Navi Mumbai were acquired by the government of Maharashtra. Navi Mumbai covers the southern part of Thane taluka and part of Panvel and Uran talukas.
CIDCO carved out 19 small nodes with a view towards facilitating comprehensive development. These nodes were named Airoli, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane, Vashi, Turbhe, Sanpada, Juinagar, Nerul, Seawoods, CBD Belapur, Kharghar, Kamothe, New Panvel, Kalamboli, Ulwe, Dronagiri and Taloja. Sanpada is the smallest node of Navi Mumbai at 8.6 km2.
CIDCO planned and constructed railway stations, roads, and public spaces in Navi Mumbai and developed nearby areas commercially. In 1973, the Vashi bridge was opened to the public for residents of Vashi, CBD Belapur and Nerul. The Sion-Panvel Highway was built to reduce the time taken to travel from Sion to Panvel. Major changes took place only after 1990, with the commissioning of a wholesale agricultural produce market at Turbhe and the construction of a commuter railway line from Mankhurd to Vashi in May 1992. These developments caused a sudden growth in economic activities and population in Navi Mumbai.
The city originally planned to create affordable housing for people who could not afford living in Mumbai, with planners intent on preventing the growth of slums in the city. However, according to the 2001 census, a fifth to a third of the population of municipalized Navi Mumbai live in slums
and gaothans, with thousands of buildings violating planning norms.
By the end of the 1990s, the planning authority of Navi Mumbai sought to attract private developers to the city. A new rail link between Nerul and Uran was opened on 11 November 2018.
Southern Navi Mumbai is developing rapidly in the modern nodes of Kharghar, Kamothe, Panvel, and Kalamboli. These nodes are experiencing major infrastructural developments due to their proximity to the Navi Mumbai International Airport started operations on 25th December 2025.
Navi Mumbai has, been ranked 5th best “National Clean Air City” in India.

Flora and fauna

A significant percentage of flamingos that settle in the Greater Mumbai Region are found in Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai also contains a stretch of mangroves.

Administration

CIDCO

The City and Industrial Development Corporation was responsible for maintenance, tax collection, and development of the city since its inception in the 1970s.
CIDCO planned 14 areas for the city. The seven areas in the North were Airoli node, Ghansoli node, Kopar Khairane node, Vashi node, Sanpada node, Nerul node and Belapur node. The seven areas in the South were Kharghar node, Kamothe node, Kalamboli node, Pushpak Nagar node, Panvel node, Ulwe node and Dronagiri node. Two additional municipal bodies were created, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation in the North and Panvel Municipal Corporation in the South. Each area is divided into smaller groups called sectors.
CIDCO initially developed areas like Juhu Nagar, Nerul, and CBD Belapur with homes, schools, and roads. Later, due to a growing population with the railway extension in the 1990s, CIDCO shifted focus to Kharghar, Kamothe, New Panvel and Kopar Khairane. Private builders played a large role in developing these areas. CIDCO, as of 2015, runs newer areas in South Navi Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation

On 17 December 1991, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation was constituted by the state government for maintaining some of the developed nodes of Navi Mumbai.
Local self-government started on 1 January 1992. NMMC was handed seven of the 14 nodes of the Navi Mumbai project area for its jurisdiction. However, CIDCO, as a planning authority, has rights on the open plots in these seven nodes.
The NMMC jurisdiction starts at Digha Gaon in the North and ends at Belapur in the South. The NMMC area is planned into seven nodes - Belapur, Nerul, Sanpada, Vashi, Kopar Khairane, Ghansoli and Airoli.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation is rated amongst the richest corporations in Maharashtra.
The Municipal Corporation is headed by a Municipal Commissioner and an elected Mayor.

Tourism

Navi Mumbai has emerged as a regional tourism and recreation destination due to its planned urban layout, coastal landscape, mangroves, hills, and cultural landmarks. The city offers a mix of natural attractions, religious sites, and modern leisure spaces.

Natural attractions

  • Central Park, Kharghar – One of the largest urban parks in Asia, developed by CIDCO, featuring landscaped gardens, jogging tracks, amphitheatre, and viewpoints.
  • Pandavkada Falls – A seasonal waterfall located near Kharghar Hills, popular for trekking and monsoon tourism.
  • Kharghar Hills – Part of the Western Ghats foothills, offering panoramic views, trekking trails, and biodiversity.
  • Parsik Hill – A forested hill range between Belapur and Thane, known for scenic views and nature walks.
  • TS Chanakya Wetland – A restored mangrove wetland in Seawoods–Nerul, recognized for birdwatching and ecological conservation.
  • Bendkhal Wetland – A coastal wetland area in Uran Taluka, known for flamingo sightings and migratory birds.

    Beaches and coastal areas

  • Uran Beach – A seaside destination in Raigad district with views of Mumbai Harbour.
  • Karanja Rewas Coast – A traditional coastal area with ferry connectivity and fishing villages.

    Religious and cultural sites

  • ISKCON Kharghar – A major Krishna temple complex serving as a spiritual and cultural center.
  • Utsav Chowk – A prominent public square in Kharghar hosting cultural events and gatherings.
  • Balaji Temple, Nerul – A popular Hindu temple visited by devotees from across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
  • Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple, Ghansoli – Known for its five-faced Hanuman idol.

    Urban and recreational destinations

  • Wonder Park, Nerul – An amusement and theme park featuring rides and replicas of global landmarks.
  • Golf Course, Kharghar – An 18-hole golf course developed by CIDCO.
  • DY Patil Stadium, Nerul – An international sports stadium that also hosts concerts and large-scale events.
  • Seawoods Grand Central Mall – One of the largest shopping and lifestyle destinations in Navi Mumbai.

    Eco-tourism

  • Flamingo Point, Nerul – A seasonal birdwatching location attracting flamingos and other migratory birds.
  • Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, Airoli – Known for its rich mangrove ecosystem and as a seasonal habitat for thousands of migratory flamingos. Declared Maharashtra’s first flamingo sanctuary in 2015, it supports diverse birdlife and plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation and coastal ecology.