Vasai-Virar is an agglomeration of four previously governed municipal councils i.e.
Vasai,
Virar
Virar (Pronunciation: iɾaɾ is a coastal city in taluka Vasai and district of Palghar, India. It is clubbed into Vasai-Virar city, administered by Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. It lies in south part of Palghar District in Vasai Taluka ...
,
Nala Sopara
Nala Sopara or Nallasopara (Pronunciation: aːla sopaɾa formerly known as Sopara or Supara, is a town within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The town lies in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, India and is governed by Vasai-Virar Municipal ...
, and
Navghar-Manikpur
Navghar-Manikpur is a city and a municipal council in Thane district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Demographics
India census, Navghar-Manikpur had a population of 116,700. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Navghar-Ma ...
and a few villages on the west as well as the east of the congested city area. It lies in the
Konkan division
The Konkan division is one of the six administrative divisions of Maharashtra state in India. It comprises the northern and central portions of the greater Konkani region, which were absorbed into Maharashtra owing to the States Reorganisati ...
of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
The twin city of Vasai-Virar is a part of the
Mumbai Metropolitan Region
Mumbai Metropolitan Region (abbreviated to MMR and previously also as Greater Bombay Metropolitan Area), is a metropolitan area consisting of Mumbai (Bombay) and its satellite towns in the northern Konkan division, of the Maharashtra state in we ...
(MMR). According to the 2011 census, it is the 5th largest
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in Maharashtra.
Within a close proximity to Mumbai,
it is located in
Palghar
Palghar () is a town in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, India and a municipal council. It is in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and since 2014 it has been the administrative capital of the Palghar district. Palghar lies on the Weste ...
District, & lies north of
Vasai Creek
Vasai Creek, previously Bassein Creek, is an estuary and one of the two main distributaries of the Ulhas River, in Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. The Ulhas splits at the northeast corner of Salsette island into its two main distributarie ...
and south of the
Vaitarna River
The Vaitarna River (IAST: ''Vaitarṇā'', pronunciation: əit̪əɾɳaː is a river in Nashik and Palghar district of Maharashtra. The Tansa is its left bank tributary and the Pinjal, Dehraja, and Surya are its right bank tributaries. Up ...
. Vasai-Virar is bordered by
Mira-Bhayandar
Mira-Bhayandar is a city and municipal corporation in Thane district in the state of Maharashtra, India located in the northern part of Salsette Island before the Vasai Creek, and shares a border with North Mumbai. Mira-Bhayandar is administere ...
and
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven talukas ...
on its south and southeast,
Bhiwandi-Nizampur
Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation is a civic body formed after dissolution of "BNCMC" (Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Council) into a Corporation by an act of Government Of Maharashtra in 2002 to administer the industrial township ...
on its east and Palghar rural district on its north.
Vasai-Virar has several train stations. On the western line it has
Naigaon,
Vasai Road
Vasai Road Junction (station code: BSR) is a railway station on the Western line and Vasai Road–Roha line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network.
Vasai is a historical suburban town north of Mumbai and it is located in Palghar district. I ...
,
Nala Sopara
Nala Sopara or Nallasopara (Pronunciation: aːla sopaɾa formerly known as Sopara or Supara, is a town within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The town lies in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, India and is governed by Vasai-Virar Municipal ...
,
Virar
Virar (Pronunciation: iɾaɾ is a coastal city in taluka Vasai and district of Palghar, India. It is clubbed into Vasai-Virar city, administered by Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. It lies in south part of Palghar District in Vasai Taluka ...
, and
Vaitarna
The Vaitarna River ( IAST: ''Vaitarṇā'', pronunciation: əit̪əɾɳaː is a river in Nashik and Palghar district of Maharashtra. The Tansa is its left bank tributary and the Pinjal, Dehraja, and Surya are its right bank tributaries. ...
train stations, where as on the central line it has
Juchandra
Juchandra is a Railway Station in Naigaon East on the Vasai Road- DivaJn.-Panvel Rail Route of Central Railway of the Mumbai Suburban Railway Network.
Juchandra is a Rail Station after Kaman Road Rail Station in the South and before Vasai R ...
and Kaman road stations.
History
Vasai-Virar, formerly Bassein or Vasai, is a city (
municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally owne ...
) in western
Maharashtra state, western India. It lies on the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
coast north of
Mumbai (Bombay). Vasai town was part of the territory of the
Hindu Devagiri Yadavas until 1317, and it later became a seaport for the
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
Muslim kings. In 1526 the
Portuguese established a fort (now in ruins) and trading station at Vasai, and the town became famous for its shipbuilding industry.
The Portuguese, with their naval power and their crusading valor, were unquestioned masters of the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
. When the Portuguese arrived, Vasai was under the rule of
Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
.
On 23 December 1534, the Sultan of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, signed a treaty with the Portuguese and ceded Vasai with its dependencies of
Salsette,
Mombaim (Bombay),
Parel
Parel (ISO: Paraḷ, pronunciation: əɾəɭ is a neighbourhood of Mumbai. Parel used to have a number of textile mills, but these have been replaced by commercial office space development.
History
Originally, Parel was a separate island, ...
,
Vadala, Siao (Sion),
Vorli (Worli) (Worli fort photo),
Mazagao (Mazgao),
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven talukas ...
,
Bandra
Bandra (Indian English, æːɳɖɾa also known as Vandre (Help:IPA/Marathi, aːn̪d̪ɾe is an upscale coastal suburb located in Mumbai (Bombay) area of the Konkan division, Maharashtra, India. The suburb is located to the immediate nor ...
,
Mahim
Mahim (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɦiːm(Marathi language, Marathi: माहिम) is a neighbourhood in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Mahim Junction railway station on the Western Railway zone, Western Railway and Harbou ...
, Caranja (
Uran
Uran is a coastal town and part of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra state in Konkan division. It lies in the Raigad district, east of Mumbai across the Dharamtar Creek. Uran is primarily a fishing and agriculture village, which has developed into the ...
).
Vasai-Virar
In 2009, the town was joined administratively with neighboring Virar (north) and several dozen other surrounding communities to form the Vasai-Virar twin city, and it immediately became one of the most-populous urban areas in the state.
The city has long been a large-scale fishing centre and a wholesale exporter of agricultural produce. Traditional industries include silk and cotton hand-loom weaving and salt manufacture. There has been a rise in construction and in technology-related activities (e.g., software development).
Climate
Vasai-Virar has a
tropical wet and dry climate (
Köppen: Aw). This moderate climate consists of high rainfall days and very few days of extreme temperatures. 80% of total rainfall occurs between June and October. Annual rainfall averages at and humidity is 61—86%, making it a humid-prehumid zone. The driest days are in winter, while the wettest days occur in July. In recent times, the area has become more flood prone due to rapid urbanization. The flooding, at times, cuts off the area from surrounding regions. Flooding has also affected transport, agriculture and industrial activities in the past.
Demographics
The population of Vasai-Virar was 1,221,233 at the 2011 census, up from 693,350 in 2001, 365,480 in 1991, and 219,868 in 1981, there exists slums and villages as well as urban zones. The projected current population according to the Municipal Corporation is 19.85 Lakhs.
The population of Vasai-Virar city comprises many different religions. Among them,
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
is practiced by 943,165 people which makes up to 78.05% of the total population, which is below the national average of 80.5%. The table given below shows the total populations of different religions that are practiced along with their percentage.
Governance and politics
The Vasai–Virar urban town is governed by
Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation
Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) is the civic body that governs areas and villages in Vasai-Virar taluka in Maharashtra, India comprising the most populated part of Palghar district. According to the 2011 census, it is the fifth lar ...
. The town was formed in 2009 when it was joined administratively with Virar and other surrounding communities.
Vasai-Virar city has been separated from
Greater Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
and
Mira-Bhayandar
Mira-Bhayandar is a city and municipal corporation in Thane district in the state of Maharashtra, India located in the northern part of Salsette Island before the Vasai Creek, and shares a border with North Mumbai. Mira-Bhayandar is administere ...
City because of presence of
Vasai Creek
Vasai Creek, previously Bassein Creek, is an estuary and one of the two main distributaries of the Ulhas River, in Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. The Ulhas splits at the northeast corner of Salsette island into its two main distributarie ...
.
VVCMC is declared as ”C” Class Municipal Corporation.
Civic administration
Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation
Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) is the civic body that governs areas and villages in Vasai-Virar taluka in Maharashtra, India comprising the most populated part of Palghar district. According to the 2011 census, it is the fifth lar ...
(VVMC) was formed on 3 July 2010. It is headed by a Municipal commissioner, Shri. Gangatharan D., an
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the administrative arm of the All India Services of Government of India. Considered the premier civil service of India, the IAS is one of the three arms of the All India Services along with the Indian ...
officer. He wields the executive power. A quinquennial election is held to elect the governing body, who are responsible for overseeing that their constituencies have the basic civic infrastructure in place, and that there is no lacuna on the part of the authorities.
The position of
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
is a largely ceremonial post with limited duties but the office-holder heads the party with the largest vote. The current mayor of the city Shri. Narayan Mankar. The total number of electoral wards within the city jurisdiction is a 115.
Civic services
''Public Transport:'' The VVMT uses diesel powered buses for its operation. All buses with electronic display board are introduced in the fleet, which have destination with the route number flashing in Marathi as well as English on front of the buses.
The VVMT bus routes are spread city-wide and also to neighboring cities. The VVMT operates inter-city services to three different areas beyond the municipal limits of Vasai-Virar city, i.e. into the limits of the Municipal Corporations of the cities of Mira-Bhayandar, Thane, and Mumbai.
''Digital Services:'' The VVMC website provides information on grocery shops, ration shops, medical shops, and community kitchen lists.
The website also includes list of eye and blood banks in the city.
The website also holds minutes of general body meeting since 2015.
''Water Supply:'' Laying of water pipeline in the Coastal Regulation Zone III area of Kaman river has been approved for the Surya dam water project. The
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is executing the 403 million litres daily project (MLD) that will bring an additional 54 MLD water supply to the Vasai-Virar region.
''Citizen Engagement:'' A blog known a
Vasai Virar Blogfor local information is managed by few citizens and can be used by all. It provides information on various services provided in the city like ambulance service and their contact numbers, hospital location in the city and the nearest police station.
In addition, information about schools and colleges in the area are also available.
Transport
The city is well connected to
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
by Western Railway and through Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway. The city is connected to
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai (), is a planned city situated on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, on the mainland of India.
Navi Mumbai is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The city is ...
,
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven talukas ...
,
Bhiwandi
Bhiwandi () is a city in the Thane district in Maharashtra, India. It is located northeast of Mumbai and northeast of the city of Thane. The city is a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Bhiwandi is a commercial city and a major trade ce ...
,
Kalyan and
Panvel node of
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai (), is a planned city situated on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, on the mainland of India.
Navi Mumbai is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The city is ...
city by the Vasai-Diva Railway line. Vasai-Virar city has significant growth potential due to close proximity to city-proper Mumbai.
Railways
![Mumbai Train](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Mumbai_Train.JPG)
Vasai-Virar city is connected by the
Western Railway and
Central Railway. The major railway stations on the Western and Central Railway in Vasai–Virar city are:
*
Virar railway station (Western Railway): All Local, MEMU, Shuttle, very few Express trains but all Passenger Trains halt or depart from here.
*
Nala Sopara railway station
Nala (Sanskrit: नल) is a character in the ''Vana Parva'' book of the ''Mahabharata''. He was the king of Nishadha Kingdom and the son of Veerasena. Nala was known for his skill with horses and for his culinary expertise. He married prince ...
(Western Railway): All Local & MEMU halt here.
*
Vasai Road railway station
Vasai Road Junction (station code: BSR) is a railway station on the Western line and Vasai Road–Roha line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network.
Vasai is a historical suburban town north of Mumbai and it is located in Palghar district. I ...
(Western/Central Railway): Vasai Road Railway Station is a Junction. All Local, MEMU, Shuttle, Express trains but only which are coming from
Bhiwandi
Bhiwandi () is a city in the Thane district in Maharashtra, India. It is located northeast of Mumbai and northeast of the city of Thane. The city is a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Bhiwandi is a commercial city and a major trade ce ...
side and all Passenger Trains halt or Depart from here.
*
Naigaon railway station
Naigaon is a railway station on the Western Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway Network.
Neighbourhood station to Naigaon in the south is Bhayandar. Platforms 2 & 4 operate Trains towards Churchgate side whereas Platforms 1 & 3 operate Tra ...
(Western Railway): All Local Trains halt here.
*
Juchandra railway station (Central Railways): All MEMU local halt here.
*
Kaman Road railway station (Central Railway): All MEMU local halt here.
Road
Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation started its own transport service on 3 October 2012 in association with Bhagirathi Transport Corporation Pvt Ltd, known as VVMT. It operates a large number of bus lines in the Vasai-Virar city. VVMT also plies its buses in Vasai-Virar villages. It also has operation outside city limits into neighbouring city of
Mira-Bhayandar
Mira-Bhayandar is a city and municipal corporation in Thane district in the state of Maharashtra, India located in the northern part of Salsette Island before the Vasai Creek, and shares a border with North Mumbai. Mira-Bhayandar is administere ...
,
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven talukas ...
, and
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. VVMT bus ply from Vasai to
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven talukas ...
& Vasai to
Mulund.
[About VVMT Bus Services](_blank)
/ref>
Operations
The VVMT bus routes are spread town-wide and also to neighboring towns and cities. The VVMT operates inter-city services to three different areas beyond the municipal limits of Vasai-Virar Town, i.e. into the limits of the Municipal Corporations of Mira-Bhayandar, Thane, and Mumbai.
Vasai-Virar City
The local bus services of the city, which are operated by VVMC. The internal places of Vasai-Virar city which are far from the Virar, Nala Sopara, Vasai Road, Naigaon Railway Stations are connected by VVMT. The major concentration has always been Vasai-Virar city and with vast growing population in the city.
Vasai-Virar Villages
It is not official, but some faraway villages from the Virar
Virar (Pronunciation: iɾaɾ is a coastal city in taluka Vasai and district of Palghar, India. It is clubbed into Vasai-Virar city, administered by Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. It lies in south part of Palghar District in Vasai Taluka ...
, Nala Sopara
Nala Sopara or Nallasopara (Pronunciation: aːla sopaɾa formerly known as Sopara or Supara, is a town within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The town lies in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, India and is governed by Vasai-Virar Municipal ...
, and Vasai are connected by VVMT buses. VVMT services are not so frequent in villages as in the city.
Mira-Bhayandar City
Services start from Virar, Nala Sopara and Vasai Road Railway Stations and passes by Bhayandar via Ghodbunder Road. The inter city connection between the Vasai-Virar city (which on the western railway side) and (which is on the central railway side).
Thane City
Thane City is connected to Vasai by the VVMT. From Vasai, it starts its services towards Thane. The inter city connection is between Vasai-Virar city (which is on the western railway side) and Thane City / Central Mumbai City (via Thane City) (which is on the central railway side).
Mumbai City
Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) is the largest public transport provider in the Mumbai City & suburbs. VVMT connects the last station in Mumbai's suburb Mulund to the Vasai-Virar. The inter-city connection is between Vasai-Virar Town on the western railway side and Central Mumbai City on the central railway side.
Sports
Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon
Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon
The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation Marathon (VVMCM) is a running event that usually happen in December in Vasai-Virar, Maharashtra, India. The event is primarily sponsored by the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation and has changed name several ...
is annual marathon race organized in Vasai-Virar area. It began in 2011 and in 2012 became a National Level running event, recognized by the AFI. The event sees participation in excess of 15,000 across various categories and offers prize money in excess of Rs 30 lakhs.[About Marathon](_blank)
/ref>
Swimming Pool
VVMC has built an Olympic-size Swimming Pool in Vasai & Virar.
References
{{Authority control
Metropolitan cities in India
Cities in Maharashtra