New Bombay (also known as Navi Mumbai) is a satellite twin of the city of Bombay, India.It is the largest planned new city in the world,with an area of 344 km². It is a city of its own, New Bombay lies on the mainland on the eastern seaboard of the Thane Creek. The city limits stretches from Airoli near Thane in the north, to Uran in the south. The length of the city is almost the same as Bombay. The Vashi and Airoli Bridges connect New Bombay to Bombay. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link will soon link South Bombay with New Bombay.

Planned City

New Bombay was created in the 1970s to cater to the rising demand in real estate. Since Mumbai was an island, development could only take place up to a certain limit. New Bombay was carefully planned keeping in mind the population boom of the future,in fact it is the largest planned new city in the world. The area is divided into sectors. Residential areas include that of Vashi, Nerul, Belapur, Kharghar and Panvel. The main business district is Belapur CBD. Vashi too has a lot of commercial institutions including a mall.

Location

New Bombay is part of two districts of Maharashtra; Thane and Raigad. The region is hilly in some parts. Parts of the region are also protected wetlands. Unlike its bigger neighbour, the city is sparsely populated. Its coordinates are 73° E; 20° N.

History

The region was part of the kingdom of Ashoka and then various Hindu rulers of the Silhara dynasty until 1343, when it was annexed by the kingdom of Gujarat. In 1534 the Portuguese took the region from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. It remained in their hands until 1661, when it ceded as the dowry of Catherine de Braganza to Charles II of England. He, in turn leased it to the British East India Company in 1668 for £10 per annum.

The region remained undeveloped until the 1970s when the real estate boom began.

People

Residents of this city often call themselves as Bombayites or Mumbaikars. However as their residence is out of the municipal limits of Bombay, they are technically incorrect. Most of the residents work in Bombay. Since the region shares the same area code as the city, not many are aware that they are dwellers of an independent city.

Transportation

The most common transportation is the red NMMT buses and suburban trains. NMMT buses are similar to the BEST buses. Auto rickshaws and Taxis are also a popular mode of transport. Mumbai's suburban railway network also covers most of the populated region of the city. The most important external railway station of this region are Vashi, Belapur CBD and Panvel. The stations are planed as a major railway junction. Most trains plying on the Konkan Railway stop Panvel so that those passengers destined to reach Mumbai may get the local trains. These trains bypass the island city altogether. Future plans include linking the station to Pune to cut travel time between Bombay and Pune.

Commerce

Most of the software companies in Maharashtra have their offices in New Bombay. The government of Maharashtra has also setup software parks to cater to the growing demand. Many large institutions also have their offices here. The Reliance group of industries are headquartered in Kopar Khairne. Other prominent companies include Digit Computer Magazine. The wholesale vegetable market in Bombay has been shifted to Vashi.

A planned domestic airport has been on the drawing boards for almost 10 years.

Infrastructure

The city has an almost 24 h electric supply, though it is not as fortunate as its bigger brother, as far as power cuts are concerned. The city has numerous flyovers, broad roads, and parking lots. Housing here is much cheaper than Bombay. The main problem facing the residents is the poor connectivity with Bombay with only two road links between the two cities, and a single rail line.