Bhiwandi
Encyclopedia
Bhiwandi(Hindi : भिवंडी)(Urdu : بھونڈی ) is a city, in the district of Thane
, in the western state of Maharashtra
, in India
, located 20 km to the north-east of Mumbai
and 15 km to the north-east of Thane
city. The exact location of Bhiwandi is 19.296664°N 73.063121°E.
Bhiwandi city the headquarters of the taluka of Bhiwandi, comes under the administration of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation. The city is considered a part of the Greater Mumbai metropolitan
agglomeration
, along with Navi Mumbai
and the cities of Kalyan
, Thane
, Ulhasnagar
, Dombivli
, Mira-Bhayandar
and the Vasai-Virar
region. According to the 2011 census, the total population of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation area was 9,98,703.
The city of Bhiwandi, known for its textile industry, has the largest number of Power looms
in the country and is sometimes dubbed as 'The Manchester of India'. A major portion of the population is employed by the Power loom
sector. The Mumbai-Agra highway (NH-3), passing through Bhiwandi ensures the smooth connectivity of the city with Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and the rest of India.
. "Sona becho aur loha kharido (sell gold and buy iron)" was his slogan.
the revolutionary textile based oil business was introduced in the land by Kazi Iqbal Akhtar and Kazi Jamal Akhtar (Kazi seth) with the advent of chemical from Gujrat.Today bhiwandi has maximum no of power looms in india.Bhiwandi has one of the highest migration in maharashtra,mainly from eastern uttar pradesh.It has 30 identified slums,one of the highest in thane.
Bhiwandi is the `mother godown' for several industries and the nodal up-country booking and transit point for several goods transporters owing to the octroi benefits that can be availed of there. The biggest names in the pharma company have their godowns here.
There are no intra-city buses as of now running within the city, but the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation is planning a bus system soon. Lack of railway connectivity to Mumbai is a major handicap of this city.
The Maharashtra State Transport Corporation (MSRTC) runs bus services to various cities in the state as well as neighbouring states. The Bhiwandi ST (State Transport) Depot is located on the old Mumbai-Agra Highway. Buses run every 5 mins to nearby citiess like Mumbai-Central, Thane, Kalyan, Vasai, Wada,shahapur and Borivli.
There is also a private car service that runs between Bhiwandi and Mumbai. It basically caters to the need of businessmen who visit the textile market located in the Kalbadevi area of Mumbai.
service runs from Diwa to Vasai. Many mail trains make a stop here including trivandrum rajdhani. Recently computerised reservation service was installed at this station, before which people had to go to Kalyan to get tickets.
There is a necessity for a suburban rail line for Bhiwandi. The Metro Rail Corporation plans to connect the Thane-Kalyan line through Bhiwandi.
proposed kalyan international airport will be 14 kms from bhiwandi.
, Bhiwandi has an estimated population of 9,24,703. Males constitute 61% of the population and females 39%. Bhiwandi has an average literacy rate of 46%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy at 52% and female literacy at 40%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.Muslims forms majority with 70% of total population.It is one of the most muslim populous city in india.It is sensitive city with history of communal riots in the past.In 2006,two policemen were killed by angry mob.
Thane
Thane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
, in the western state of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, located 20 km to the north-east of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and 15 km to the north-east of Thane
Thane
Thane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
city. The exact location of Bhiwandi is 19.296664°N 73.063121°E.
Bhiwandi city the headquarters of the taluka of Bhiwandi, comes under the administration of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation. The city is considered a part of the Greater Mumbai metropolitan
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
, along with Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai is a Planned Satellite City on the west coast of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was developed in 1972 as a twin city of Mumbai, and is the largest planned city on the planet, with under the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and a total area of . Navi Mumbai...
and the cities of Kalyan
Kalyan
Kalyan is a city in Thane district of Maharashtra, and a major railway station lying at the junction of the north-east and south-east lines of the suburban Mumbai division of the Central Railway, 53 km north-east of Mumbai. Kalyan is also a major Taluka place, a tehsil of the Thane district...
, Thane
Thane
Thane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
, Ulhasnagar
Ulhasnagar
Ulhasnagar Ulhasnagar, also referred to as Sindhunagar, has an estimated population of 472,943 people .The name derives from the Ulhas river which flows through it. Kalyan is situated near Ulhasnagar. The city is home to many types of businesses....
, Dombivli
Dombivli
Dombivli or Dombivali is a town in Thane district, Kalyan tehsil in Maharashtra, India. It is located about fifty kilometres from the city of Mumbai, and about twenty kilometres from Thane. The population of the city, according to the 2011 census is 2,293,000,...
, Mira-Bhayandar
Mira-Bhayandar
Mira-Bhayander is a suburb of Mumbai city, located to The North of Mumbai administered by Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation .-History:...
and the Vasai-Virar
Vasai-Virar
Vasai-Virar is a city in Maharashtra state in western India. As per 2011 census this is the 5th largest city in Maharashtra . It is located in Thane District, 50 km north of Mumbai. The city is located on the north bank of Vasai Creek, part of the estuary of the Ulhas River...
region. According to the 2011 census, the total population of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation area was 9,98,703.
The city of Bhiwandi, known for its textile industry, has the largest number of Power looms
Power loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
in the country and is sometimes dubbed as 'The Manchester of India'. A major portion of the population is employed by the Power loom
Power loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
sector. The Mumbai-Agra highway (NH-3), passing through Bhiwandi ensures the smooth connectivity of the city with Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and the rest of India.
History
In the early Twentieth century, Bhiwandi was a small town, inhabited by Maharashtrians and Konkani Muslims. The main occupation of the people was agriculture, fishing and hand looms. With the advent of electricity, the hand looms began to be quickly replaced by power looms. It became a hub of the textile industry in the 1930s. The credit for turning Bhiwandi into a textile city goes to one Haji Abdus Samad, an illiterate trader from Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. "Sona becho aur loha kharido (sell gold and buy iron)" was his slogan.
the revolutionary textile based oil business was introduced in the land by Kazi Iqbal Akhtar and Kazi Jamal Akhtar (Kazi seth) with the advent of chemical from Gujrat.Today bhiwandi has maximum no of power looms in india.Bhiwandi has one of the highest migration in maharashtra,mainly from eastern uttar pradesh.It has 30 identified slums,one of the highest in thane.
Geography
Bhiwandi lies in the Konkan coastal lowlands. There are many hills surrounding Bhiwandi, which add to its scenic beauty. The average elevation is 24 m. The Vharala Devi Lake is the largest lake in Bhiwandi.Economy
The economy of Bhiwandi is mostly dependent on the powerloom industry. The decline of Mumbai's textile mills spurred the growth of the powerloom sector. In order to meet the demand for grey fabric, powerloom centres sprang up in various parts of the State. Textile and migrant workers came in droves to find work at these centres. Bhiwandi became the largest powerloom centre in the country. The State government estimates that over 40 lakh people are dependent directly or indirectly on the looms of Bhiwandi.Bhiwandi is the `mother godown' for several industries and the nodal up-country booking and transit point for several goods transporters owing to the octroi benefits that can be availed of there. The biggest names in the pharma company have their godowns here.
Intra-City Transport
The main mode of transport within Bhiwandi is the auto-rickshaw. Rickshaws, as they are called, are omnipresent in this city and can be seen everywhere. They run on various arterial routes that wind their way through Bhiwandi. The rickshaws here do not use the meter system, like Thane and Mumbai, but basically operate on a stop-to-stop system, wherein pre-defined stops have been determined on every arterial routeThere are no intra-city buses as of now running within the city, but the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation is planning a bus system soon. Lack of railway connectivity to Mumbai is a major handicap of this city.
Road
Bhiwandi is well connected with the rest of the country thanks to the Mumbai-Agra Highway (National Highway-3), which passes through it. The highway is one the most important in the country and as a result there is a heavy flow of traffic through Bhiwandi, consisting of passenger cars as well as 18-wheel giant tractor trailers. Two flyovers have been constructed on this highway to smooth traffic. In view of distributing some of the traffic which does not have to make a stop in Bhiwandi, an alternate subsidiary road, commonly and appropriately called the Bhiwandi-bypass was built. This 4 lane, well maintained subsidiary road, breaks off from the main highway, in Thane, and meets the highway again, 6 km to the north of Bhiwandi, near Shangri-la resort.The Maharashtra State Transport Corporation (MSRTC) runs bus services to various cities in the state as well as neighbouring states. The Bhiwandi ST (State Transport) Depot is located on the old Mumbai-Agra Highway. Buses run every 5 mins to nearby citiess like Mumbai-Central, Thane, Kalyan, Vasai, Wada,shahapur and Borivli.
There is also a private car service that runs between Bhiwandi and Mumbai. It basically caters to the need of businessmen who visit the textile market located in the Kalbadevi area of Mumbai.
Railway
The Bhiwandi Road Station (code BIRD) lies on the Vasai-Diwa corridor, between the western line and central line. An EMUEMU
-Australia:* Emu Bay, South Australia, on Kangaroo Island* Emu Brewery, historic site in Perth* Emu Creek, near Aurukun, Queensland* Emu Downs Wind Farm, Western Australia, 200km north of Perth...
service runs from Diwa to Vasai. Many mail trains make a stop here including trivandrum rajdhani. Recently computerised reservation service was installed at this station, before which people had to go to Kalyan to get tickets.
There is a necessity for a suburban rail line for Bhiwandi. The Metro Rail Corporation plans to connect the Thane-Kalyan line through Bhiwandi.
Air
The nearest airport from Bhiwandi is the Chharaapati Shivaji International Airport,Mumbai at a distance of 46 kms.proposed kalyan international airport will be 14 kms from bhiwandi.
Demographics
As of 2011 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Bhiwandi has an estimated population of 9,24,703. Males constitute 61% of the population and females 39%. Bhiwandi has an average literacy rate of 46%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy at 52% and female literacy at 40%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.Muslims forms majority with 70% of total population.It is one of the most muslim populous city in india.It is sensitive city with history of communal riots in the past.In 2006,two policemen were killed by angry mob.