Navi Mumbai (; also known as New Bombay, its official name until 1995) is a city in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area, located in the Konkan division of the western 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 (2022 and 2023), held on to the third rank in the Indian Commonwealth Cleanliness Survey (Swachh Survekshan) — 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.
In 1733, the Maratha Empire, 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 India, 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.
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.Mehta, H.: Man who built Navi Mumbai is in Gujarat The Times of India, 21 February 2010. Accessed 27 January 2014. The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) 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 (from Thane District) and part of Panvel taluka and (from Raigad District).
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 Taloje Panchnand 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 (urban villages), 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 Infrastructure developments due to their proximity to the Navi Mumbai International Airport (Phase 1) started operations on 25th December 2025.
Navi Mumbai has, been ranked 5th best “National Clean Air City” in India.
CIDCO planned 14 areas for the city. The seven areas in the North were Airoli, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane, Vashi, Sanpada, Nerul and CBD Belapur. The seven areas in the South were Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Pushpak Nagar node, New Panvel, Ulwe and Dronagiri. Two additional municipal bodies were created, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) 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 (Vashi), 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.
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 (zones) - CBD 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.
The Mumbai suburban railway network covers most of the populated regions of the city. The most important suburban stations are Vashi, Nerul, Belapur and Panvel. The stations are planned as major railway junctions. Panvel is the only mainline station as well as the busiest railway station in Navi Mumbai. All outstation trains halt here for time periods varying from five to 20 minutes. It is an important junction; railway lines come and meet here and it is connected to almost all parts of India. A new broad gauge line is functional between Karjat & Panvel.
Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses run from various area of Mumbai to Navi Mumbai & Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) buses run all over Navi Mumbai and various area in Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan-Dombivli-Badlapur, Panvel-Khopoli-Taloja, Uran-Ulwe etc. The Palm Beach Marg, a long six lane road connects Vashi to CBD Belapur running parallel to the Thane Creek.
Auto rickshaws provide inter- and intra-nodal public transport across the city. Taxis operating from designated taxi stands provide the means to travel to further destinations. Taxis charge a fixed rate approved by the R. T. O., details of which can be found on popular local transit apps of the city.
Navi Mumbai has the second-largest container terminal in India after Mundra Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva near Uran. It is well connected by road and rail and handles approximately 56.13% of India's container traffic. The city will be served by the newly inaugurated Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Navi Mumbai was one of the host cities of the 2017 FIFA U-17 Men's World Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup with the DY Patil Stadium hosting the final of the event in 2022.
Navi Mumbai Sports Association is the oldest sports complex in Navi Mumbai; NMSA has contributed significantly to the sports world by creating international level athletes from Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai has an Olympic-size swimming pool at Nerul. CIDCO has proposed two 18-hole golf course academies at Nerul and Kharghar. There are plans to have sports facilities in the proposed 80 hectare Central Park being developed in Kharghar. The CIDCO has also constructed an 11-hole golf course in Kharghar near Central Park.
Each of the nodes is self-sufficient in terms of providing quality education. Students are given access to various syllabi, including the State Education Board, CBSE, IGCSE, IB and CISCE patterns. Other than these, CIDCO encouraged private institutions as well.
About 22.5% of the total population is considered to be school-going children. Most students attend school and college within their node (township). 76% of the students walk to their school or college, 12% use public transport, 10% use bicycles and only 2% travel by school bus.
A number of premier schools and colleges have been set up in Navi Mumbai. Even beyond local students, students from Mumbai and even outside come to Navi Mumbai in their quest for quality education. As such, Navi Mumbai is quickly acquiring the title of educational hub. Some of these premium institutions have been listed below.
Flora and fauna
Administration
CIDCO
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation
Tourism
Natural attractions
Beaches and coastal areas
Religious and cultural sites
Urban and recreational destinations
Eco-tourism
Demographics
Transport and infrastructure
International airport
Metro
Other infrastructure
Commerce
Sport
Education
Colleges and universities
Engineering colleges
Medical colleges
Schools
External links
|
|