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MUMBAI
- INDIA
Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) is the
world's most populous conurbation, and is the sixth most populous
agglomeration in the world. Mumbai is located on the west coast of India and
is the capital of the state of Maharashtra. The city is located on an island
with a deep natural harbour and is the nation's commercial capital. The name
was officially changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995, but the former name is
still popularly used in the West and by many of the city's inhabitants.
History
Mumbai is an eponym derived from the local Hindu goddess, Mumbadevi, whose
worship extends back to the 1400's. In the 16th c., the Portuguese named the
area Bom Bahia which means Good Bay. The name was later corrupted to Bomaím.
After gaining possession of the isles, the British anglicised the name to
Bombay. The city was renamed to Mumbai in 1995.
The city originally consisted of seven little isles. It 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 Gujerat.
In 1534 the Portuguese took the islands from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. The
islands 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 company found the
deep harbour at Bombay eminently apposite, and the population rose from
10,000 in 1661 to 60,000 by 1675. In 1687, the East India Company
transferred their headquarters there from Surat.
Completed in 1784, the Hornby Vellard was the first of the engineering
projects aimed at joining the seven islands. William Hornby, then Governor
of Bombay, initiated the project in 1782 despite opposition from the
directors of the East India Company. The cost of the vellard was estimated
at Rs. 100,000.
From 1817 the city was reshaped with large civil engineering projects
merging the seven islands into one single mass of around 435 km² by 1845. In
1853 the country's first railway link completed, between Bombay and Thana.
The city remained in Company hands until after the Revolt of 1857 when it
was taken by the Crown.
The city's economy got a major boost during the American Civil War,
(1861–1865) with the city becoming the world's chief cotton market. In 1869,
the opening up of the Suez Canal, shortened the time between the city and
Europe and developed into a major port.
Up to the end of the Second World War, Bombay covered only about 67 km² of
land from Colaba in the south to Mahim and Sion in the north. The city
witnessed large scale Hindu-Muslim riots just before India's independence in
1947.
In 1950, the city expanded northward with the inclusion of portions of
Salsette Island, and by 1957 a number of suburban towns — including Bandra,
Andheri, Malad & Borivali — and some villages of Thane were incorporated
into Greater Bombay, with an area of 169 square miles (434 km²).
In 1960, the city became the capital of the new state of Maharashtra. A
series of land reclamations from the sea in the 1970s and the mushrooming of
sky-scrapers reinforced the city's status as the premier city of the
country. In 1992 large scale Hindu-Muslim riots affected the entire city. In
March 1993 simultaneous bombings of the city's institutions killed 300.
Since the early 2000s the city's urbs primus status has been challenged by
New Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
The city limits
The city originally extended from the southern tip of the peninsula to the
Mahim and Sion Creeks in the north. This region was called Old Bombay (the
downtown area), and the area north of this was called Greater Bombay. Old
Bombay being a city didn't have a district capital, whereas a capital was
created in the largely semi-urban uptown Greater Bombay. However with the
population boom, the city limits were expanded up to Dahisar in the north
and Mulund in the northeast.
The terms Old and Greater Bombay are almost archaic. It is now more commonly
known as town and suburbs respectively. The terms townie and suburbanite are
used to refer to populace of the two regions. Despite the blurring of
boundaries, highway milestones are still calibrated keeping Flora Fountain
in South Bombay as the starting point of the city.
Residents of the neighbouring townships of Mira Road, Thané and the
satellite city of New Bombay often refer to themselves as city residents, as
they share the same area and postal codes; often creating confusion in the
minds of outsiders.
Geography and climate
Mumbai spans an area 438 km² the city is on a peninsula on the island of
Salcette. Because of this, the Mumbai (town) is often called the Island city.
The city is spread linearly along the Arabian Sea coast. The city has a
tropical climate with moderate to high levels of humidity. The moderating
influence of the Arabian Sea ensures that there is very little fluctuation
of seasonal temperatures. The warmest months of the year are March and
October with temperature around 37-38 degrees Celsius. The coolest month is
January with the day temperature around 26 degrees Celsius. It is also
during this season that the city is enveloped with a thick layer of smog due
to the inversion effect. Annual rainfall averages between 1.8 m and 2.4 m.
The city used to be seven hilly isles. When the isles were merged to form a
monolithic island, these hills were razed and used to fill the shallows.
Partly because of this, some parts of the city lie below sea level. Many
parts of the city are still hilly. The highest point in the city is about
450 m and lies in the Powai-Kanheri range in the Borivali National Park. The
city lies on a fault line and is earthquake prone (Zone 3 — up to a
magnitude of 6.5). The geology of the area shows that the islands are
composed of black basalt rock.
The city being adjacent to water, the temperature changes are not as drastic
as those inland. Mumbai enjoys its monsoon showers from June to September
with the annual rainfall being around 2.2 m (85 in). The city experiences
light fog in the northern reaches of the city in Dec/Jan. Hailstones are
rare. The lowest recorded temperature is 7 °C (45 °F) in 1962, the highest,
42 °C (108 °F). Temperatures (max/min): Jan: 25/12 °C (77/54 °F) May: 35/28
°C (95/82 °F) July: 30/26 °C (86/79 °F) Oct: 38/23 °C (100/73 °F).
Government
Mayor: Deolé Mahadev Bhagoji (as of March 10, 2002)
Municipal Commissioner: Johny Joseph (as of February 29, 2004)
Police Commissioner: Anami Narayan Roy (as of February 5, 2004)
Sheriff: Dr Jagannathrao Hegdé (as of December 22, 2003)
Collector: Pradeep Vyas
The city is run by a municipal corporation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) which takes care of the civic duties. The head of the
corporation is the Mayor. Although he is voted to power, his role is largely
ceremonial. The person with the actual executive powers is the Municipal
Commissioner, an IAS officer.
The city has its own police department, the Mumbai Police. The Police
Commissioner heads the police force, and is appointed by the state
government. Since the city is also composed of two districts, two District
Collectors are also appointed. Their role is largely curtailed as compared
to their rural counterparts. Their job is to approve new construction and
oversee national elections.
Economy
As the country's commercial capital, Mumbai houses the headquarters of
almost all major companies. The Reserve Bank of India and the Bombay Stock
Exchange, forms the heart of commercial India and is situated in South
Bombay. The city contributes 40% of India's income tax, and Rs. 40,000
crores (9 billion US $) as annual corporate tax; the highest in the country.
Mumbai is also the epicentre of India's film industry — Bollywood, which is
the largest in the world in terms of the number of films produced annually.
Transportation
Most of the city inhabitants rely on public transportation to travel to
their workplace. Public buses and trains handle most of this traffic.
External Transportation
International Airport: Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (formerly
Sahar International Airport)
Domestic Airport: Santacruz Airport.
Railway: Mumbai houses the headquarters of Western Railway and Central
Railway wherefrom long-distance trains embark to distant parts of India. The
main stations are Bombay Central railway station (Western Railway) and
Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus).
Internal Transportation
The Mumbai suburban railway consisting of the Central and Western Railway's
suburban network running around 1000 trains daily.
BEST buses.
Yellow and black metered taxis.
3 wheeled Auto rickshaws in the suburbs.
Ferry services to Uran, JNPT and Alibag.
Trams were abandoned on 31 March 1964.
Hovercraft services too were abandoned in the late 90's due to high
operational costs.
Helicopter services from Bombay to Bombay High. Are seldom used for intra
city transportation due to noise pollution.
People
A resident of the city may be called either a Bombayite or a Mumbaikar.
Within the city, people often correlate themselves to the nearest railway
station on the suburban railway network where they live or work.
Most of the citizens of Mumbai are very liberal and open-minded. The city is
consequently one of the least conservative cities of India. Many
city-dwellers lead a fast-paced life with very little time for other
activities. Partly because of this, the majority of the residents have
developed an indifferent attitude to the problems facing the country and the
city. However, there are those who take immense pride in the upkeep and
development of the city. Most of the city's inhabitants are knowledgeable
and keep abreast of national and international events.
Citizens share an indefatigable spirit in times of crises, a fact attested
to by the collective reaction to a recent spate of terrorist bombings and
deluges; the affected citizens in areas badly-scarred resumed their
businesses in the days immediately following the catastrophes.
What astonishes most visitors to the city, particularly those not native to
India, are the unconventional means by which some citizens eke out their
living. Dhobis, street hawkers and dabbawallas are some who have
unconventional vocations that are the quintessence of the city.
Languages
The most common language spoken on the city streets is a mutated form of
Hindi, known as Bambaiya Hindi, which is a mix of Hindi, Marathi, English
and a few invented colloquial words. While Marathi is the official language
of the state of Maharashtra, it is not as widely spoken as Hindi. English is
also extensively spoken and understood by most of the inhabitants. It is
also the principal language spoken amongst the city's white collar
workforce. As there is a significant population of people from the
neighbouring state of Gujarat, Gujarati is spoken by many.
Culture
Mumbai has spawned a whole new urban culture of it own. The metropolis has
its own local roadside fast food consisting of vada pavs and bhelpuri.
Denizens have their own unique tastes in cuisine, music, films and
literature, both Indian and international. The city artistically blends
western and Indian celebrations and festivals which are celebrated by one
and all. Mumbai resonates with a vibrant buzz and is often said to be the
'city that never sleeps'. It also has a famed nightlife albeit with a few
restrictions.
In 2004, Mumbai received three heritage conservation awards from UNESCO.
Demographics
The largest city in India, the city's population is also one of the highest
in the world with over 12.6 million residents. The density is 28,834 per
square kilometre. There are 811 females to every 1000 males. This figure is
mainly due to the fact that many males with families in rural areas work in
the city. Mumbai has a modest literacy rate of 77%, though much higher than
the national average. Out of this figure 82% of adult males and 71.6% of
adult females are literate. 68% of the city's residents are Hindus, 17% are
Muslim, 4% Christian & 4% Buddhist. The remaining 6% are followers of Parsi,
Jain, Sikh and Jewish religions and Atheist ideology.
Education
Mumbai city has a large number of premiere educational institutions. There
are two universities, The University of Mumbai and the SNDT Women's
University. The Mumbai University has almost all the colleges in Mumbai
affiliated to it.
There are 1,188 public municipal primary schools: (as on 1 September 1999)
as well as numerous private schools. Almost all of the private schools use
English as the medium of instruction.
Sports
Cricket is the most popular sport in the city. It is widely watched, and on
days when the Indian team plays important matches, the city almost comes to
a standstill. The city has two functional cricket stadiums. Many parts of
the city are dotted with maidans, (sports grounds), where cricket is widely
played. The next most popular sport is football, and is particularly played
in the monsoon months. The hockey stadium near Churchgate used to hold
international matches.
Other sports are mostly played in the numerous clubs and gymkhanas include
tennis, squash, billiards, badminton, table tennis and golf. Bombay also has
a rugby club, the only one in the country. Every February, Mumbai holds the
Derby equestrian races.
Arts & Entertainment
Being at the epicentre of Indian cinema, the city has a large number of
cinemas. The oldest film shot in the country was taken in 1896 in the Kala
Ghoda area. Numerous cinemas and multiplexes catering to mainstream
Bollywood and Hollywood films dot the city. The world's largest IMAX dome
theatre is located in Bombay. Besides cinemas, the city hosts various plays
and cultural performances. There are also two art galleries and a museum in
South Bombay.
Present problems
The booming population is the highest concern as it puts a severe strain on
the infrastructure. The city is slated to replace Tokyo as the world's most
populous city by 2020. Real estate prices are among the highest in the world
due to the lack of available area on the island. This lack of cheap
accommodation has seen slums such as Dharavi mushrooming all over the city.
Frequent flooding in parts of Bombay during the monsoon months brings
transportation to its knees. In parts of the city, there are water
shortfalls in the summer months. With the public transportation bursting at
the seams, commuting has become a nightmare. Solutions such as new flyovers
and light elevated rail are currently being studied for their viability.
List of tourist attractions in Mumbai
Mumbai has a centuries old history and many sites of tourist interest. Some
of them are:
Aarey Milk Colony
Banganga
Bhuleshwar
Bombay Natural History Museum
University of Mumbai
Chor Bazaar
Chowpatty Beach
Crawford Market
Elephanta Caves
Essel World
Fashion Street
Film City
Flora Fountain now renamed to Hutatma Chowk
Gateway of India
Hanging Gardens
High Court
Jehangir Art Gallery
Jijamata Udyaan
Juhu Beach
Kamala Nehru Park
Kanheri Caves
Mahalakshmi Race Course
Marine Drive earlier/historically referred to as Queen's Necklace
Nehru Centre
Nehru Planetarium
Powai Lake
Prince of Wales Museum
Prithvi Theatre
Rajabai Tower
Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali National Park)
Hotel Taj Mahal
Taraporewala Aquarium
Veermata Jeejabai Bhosale Udyan
Victoria Terminus
Vihar Lake
Administrative divisions of Mumbai
The city of Mumbai, India, is divided into administrative divisions.
Greater Mumbai is the urban agglomeration of 18 million people (largest in
India and one of the six largest in the world) which comes under the
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. The Municipal Corporation of
Greater Mumbai employs 1,40,626 people in different categories. The
Corporation operates an annual budgetary outlay in excess of Rs. 3300
Crores. (US$ 720 million approx.) Two offices that hold the balance of
prestige & powers in the City Government are those of the Honorable Mayor of
Mumbai and the Municipal Commissioner. The office of the Mayor combines a
functional role of Chairing the Corporation meeting as well as ceremonial
role associated with being the First Citizen of the Premier City of India.
As per the amended Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, a Deputy Mayor is
appointed by the Mayor. The tenure of the Mayor & the Deputy Mayor shall be
of two and half years.
The Commissioner, a key figure in the local self government is the executive
head is virtually under constant pressure by the citizens' councilors and
the state administration. Each section looks upon him expectantly for
results in the administration. He is the final administrative authority for
the local self government of Mumbai.
Mumbai is also represented in the Parliament of India and Maharashtra
Assembly (Legislature) - elections for which are held every 5 years.
For administrative purposes, Greater Mumbai is divided into 6 zones, each
consisting of 3 to 5 wards named alphabetically.
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