Mumbai

Mumbai (Bombay) formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai ranks among the most populous cities in the world in terms of population, with a city having a population of approximately 14 million inhabitant’s lies on the western coast of India. It is a group of seven islands in the Arabian Sea which lies off the northern Konkan coast on the west of Maharashtra state in India. These seven islands which were once separated by creeks and channels were filled and bridged over the years by the inhabitants. In 1661, King Charles II of England, married Princess Catherine de Braganza of Portugal, and as part of the dowry he received "Bombay" which is today known as Mumbai. Later in 1668 it was handed over to the East India Company. In 1858 the administration of the country was taken over by the Queen of England, Queen Victoria, from the East India Company. A viceroy was appointed to rule India in the name of the Queen. Bombay came under the direct rule of the British in 1861. The first railway line in India was started between Bombay (VT) and Thane in 1861.
In 1864, modern water supply was started in Bombay (Mumbai) and in 1885, Bombay was lit with gas.

Mahatma Gandhi joining Indian Politics in 1920 was a turning point in the political destiny of India which led to the Independence of India from the British rule. Bombay (Mumbai) had an important role to play in this event.

Mode of Transport

Public Transport: Public transport systems in Mumbai include the Mumbai Suburban Railway Station,(BEST) buses,taxi,auto rikshaws, ferries and play a dominant role. Rail and bus services combined carry about 88% of the passenger traffic. Black and yellow metered taxis traverse most of the metropolis. Auto rickshaws operate only in the suburban areas of Mumbai, while taxis mostly operate in South Mumbai. Taxis and rickshaws run on Compressed Natural Gas, and are the most convenient, economical, and easily available means of transport. Mumbai has about 1.53 million vehicles,56,459 black and yellow taxis, and 1,02,224 auto rickshaws, as of 2005.

Road

A Modern BEST bus (Starbus). BEST buses carry a total of 4.5 million passengers daily

Mumbai is served by National Highway 3,4 and 8 of the Indian National Highway System. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was the first expressway ever built in India, while the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway is under construction. Recently, the Bandra-Worli sealink bridge was opened, which along with Mahim Causeway, links the island city to the western suburbs. The two main road stretches within the city are the Eastern Highway Express from Sion to Thane, and the Western Express Highway from Bandra to Borivali.The bus services carry over 5.5 million passengers per day. Public buses run by BEST cover almost all parts of the metropolis, as well as parts Navi Mumbai, Mira Bhayandar and Thane. Buses are used for commuting short to medium distances, while train fares are more economical for long distance commutes. The BEST runs a total of 4,013 buses, ferrying 4.5 million passengers daily over 390 routes Its fleet consists of single-decker, double-decker, vestibule, low-floor, disabled-friendly, air-conditioned and the Euro III compliant Compressed Natural Gas powered buses.Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation(MSRTC) buses provide intercity transport and connect Mumbai with other major cities of Maharashtra and India. The Mumbai Darshan is a tourist bus service which explores numerous tourist attraction in Mumbai.Mumbai BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) lanes have been planned throughout Mumbai, with buses running on seven routes as of March 2009. Though 88% of the commuters travel by public transport, Mumbai still continues to struggle with traffic congestion. The traffic congestion in Mumbai,has been categorized as one of the most congested in the world.

Rail

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, is the headquarters of the Central Railway and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mumbai is the headquarters of two railway zones: the Central Railway (CR) headquartered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Western Railway (WR) headquartered near Churchgate. The backbone of the city's transport, the Mumbai Suburban Railway, consists of three separate networks: Central, Western, and Harbour Line, running the length of the city, in a north-south direction. The Mumbai Metro is an underground and elevated rapid transit system currently under construction. The Mumbai Monorail , currently under construction, will eventually run from Jacob Circle toWadala. Mumbai is well connected to most parts of India by the Indian Railways . Trains originate from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Mumbai Central, Bandra terminus and Andheri. Mumbai's suburban rail systems carry a total of 6.3 million passengers every day, which is more than half of the Indian Railways daily carrying capacity. Trains are overcrowded during peak hours, with nine-car trains having a maximum capacity of 1,700 passengers, carrying around 4,500 passengers. During 2003–2008, about 20,000 rail deaths were reported on the suburban railway, with an average of 10 deaths per day.

Air

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport India's busiest airport.The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport(formerly Sahara International Airport) is the main aviation hub in the city and the busiest airport in India. The Juhu aerodrome was India's first airport, and now hosts a flying club and a heliport. The proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport which is to be built in the Kopra-Panvel area has been sanctioned by the Indian Government and would help relieve the increasing traffic burden on the existing airport.

Sea

Mumbai is served by two major ports, Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. Mumbai Port has one of the best natural harbors in the world, and has extensive wet and dry dock accommodation facilities. Jawaharlal Nehru Port, commissioned on 26 May 1989, is the most modern major port in India. It handles 55–60% of the country's total containerized cargo. Mumbai is the headquarters of the Western Naval Command, and also an important base for the Indian Navy, Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. Ferries from Ferry Wharf in Mazagaon allow access to islands near the city.

As of 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha World City.

STAYS

According to your budget you can choose your stay in Mumbai with hotels from 5star deluxe (includes Grand Hyatt, Trident, JW Marriot, Taj etc ) to Budget Hotel(includes Hotel Airlines International,Hotel Airlink,Hotel Imperial Palace,Hotel Sea side etc).

HOTSPOTS

Gateway of India Mani Bhawan, Prince of Wales Museum , Marine Drive,Juhu Beach, Hanging Garden, Kamla Nehru Park, Chowpatty, Aarey Milk Colony, Tower of Silence, Jain Temple