Bandra Fair (Mount Mary Fair) is an 8 day festive event to celebrate the birth of Virgin Mary. It is believed that Mother Mary was born on September 8. Every year Mount Mary Basilica at Bandra celebrates the feast to “Our Lady of the Mount”. Bandra Fair has a carnival-like atmosphere with shopping stalls, food stalls, street events, games, amusement rides, concerts, etc. Mount Mary Bandra Fair takes place within the Mount Mary Church complex and in the lanes around the church.

Start and End Date of Mount Mary Bandra Fair 2013

• Bandra Fair Start Date:  8^th September, 2013 (Sunday)
• Bandra Fair End Date:   15^th September, 2013 (Sunday)

The 9 days before the Bandra Fair, from 30 August to 7 September, Mount Mary Basilica performs “Novena” (prayer) for the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Visit these links for further information on why Mount Mary Bandra Fair is celebrated and about the Mount Mary Basilica.

Events, Mass Timing, Stalls at Bandra Mount Mary Fair 2013

• 9 Day Novena before start of Bandra Fair: 5 morning mass for Virgin Mary (5:30 am, 6:15 am, 7:00 am, 7:45 am and 8:30 am) and 3 evening mass (5:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm).
• 8^th September, 2013, Birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary: Birthday mass in English for Virgin Mary at 5:30 am, 6:15 am, 7:00 am, 7:45 am, 8:30 am, 9:15 am, 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 am. Pilgrims and worshippers can visit Mount Mary Church from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm for offer prayers (“darshan”) to Virgin Mary.
• 9^th September to 14^th September, 2013: Daily religious mass in English at 5:30 am, 6:15 am, 7:00 am, 7:45 am, 8:30 am, 9:15 am, 10:00 am, 10:45 am. Mount Mary Basilica will be open from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm for pilgrims to offer “darshan” (prayers) to Mother Mary during the Bandra Fair. The 10:45 am Mass on 9^th September, 2013 will be a special mass for the sick and invalid. From 10^th to 14^th September there will be special mass at 11:30 am in an Indian language (10 Sep Konkani, 11 Sep Marathi, 12 Sep Tamil, 13 Sep Malayalam and 14 Sep Gujarati).
• 15^th September, 2013, Last Day of Mt Mary Fair: Mass in English at 5:30 am, 6:15 am, 7:00 am, 7:45 am, 8:30 am, 9:15 am, 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 11:30 am and 12:30 am. Mount Mary Church will close at 8:00 pm.

For the duration of Bandra Fair, stalls selling food, toys, clothes, handicraft items, religious goods, etc, are put at Mount Carmel Church, St John Baptist Road, Chapel Road, Rebello Road and Eastern steps of Mount Mary Church. Stalls are also put up in the premises of Mt Mary Basilica, but these sell mainly religious goods (candles, etc).

Mt Mary Bandra Fair Information: Location, Map, Transport

The focal point of the Bandra Fair is the Mount Mary Basilica on Mt Mary Road at Bandra (West), Mumbai. Mt Mary Church is near Bandra Bandstand, Hill Road, Chapel Road, Mt Carmel Road, St John Baptist Road and St Andrew’s Church.

Closest local suburban railway station to Mt Mary Church is Bandra Station on the Western and Harbor Line.

Local Bus (BEST) to Bandra Fair and Mount Mary Basilica

1. BEST Bus 214: Bus is available from Bandra Station to bus stop at St John Baptist Road. It’s a 0.5 Km walk to the Basilica.
2. BEST Bus 211: Bus is available from Bandra Station to Bandra Bandstand (Byramji Jeejeebhoy Road). Exit at the bus stop near Shahrukh Khan’s Bungalow, “Mannat”. This is the second last stop on this route. It’s a short 0.25 Km uphill climb along either Kane Road or Cement Road (touches Shah Rukh Khan’s House).
3. BEST Buses 86, 211, 212, 214: All these public buses stop at Hill Road which is about 1 Km from Mt Mary Church.

For the duration of Bandra Fair, the below roads are “NO ENTRY” areas; so using private transport to get to Mount Mary is not advisable. Expect traffic jam in a radius of 1.5 Km from the Church.

• Mount Mary Road
• Chapel Road
• Saint John The Baptist Road
• Kane Road,
• Robello Road

This link has sensible precautions for visitors to Mt Mary Bandra Fair.

Attractions around Mount Mary Church

1. Bandra Bandstand: There is a beautiful sea facing promenade at Bandra Bandstand (Byramji Jeejeebhoy Road). Many film stars have houses in Bandra. Salman Khan’s House at Galaxy Apartments is at the start of Bandra Bandstand and Shah Rukh Khan’s House is towards the end of the road.
2. Bandra Fort at Land’s End: Bandra Bandstand road ends at Bandra Fort. This place has stunning views of the Arabian Sea and Bandra – Worli Sea Link.
3. By-lanes of Bandra West: The quaint Bandra by-lanes have an old world charm. Stalls are put up in many of these lanes.

Mumbai Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) Route, Map and Location

South Mumbai and Chowpatty Route and Map for Ganesh Immersion

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Chowpatty Beach (Girgaon) Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) Road and Map

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Lalbaughcha Raja Visarjan Route from Lalbaug To Girgaon Chowpatty

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganesh Visarjan Road Map for Dadar Chowpatty and Shivaji Park

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Juhu Beach Ganesha Visarjan (Immersion) Road Route amd Directions

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Versova Route for Ganpati Visarjan (Immersion)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganesh Immersion (Visrjan) Route for Bhujale Talao in Malad (West)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganpati Visarjan Route for Aksa and Marve Beach in Malad (West)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Gorai Jetty and Borivali (West) Ganesh Visarjan Road Route and Map

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganesh Visarjan Road Route for Sheetal Talao (Pond), Kurla (West)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Powai Lake Ganesh Ghat and Pawarwadi Ganpati Immersion Route Map

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Note: Many of these maps have been taken from Mumbai Police website.

Pictures of Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) in Mumbai

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Famous and Best Mumbai Ganpati Idols during Ganesh Chaturthi 2013
• Best Ganesh Idols in Mumbai in 2012
• Famous Hindu Temples in Mumbai

Navratri is a 9 day Hindu festival for Goddess Durga (Shakti). Navratri is one of the biggest festivals among Mumbai’s Gujarati community, which constitutes 19% of the population.

Navratri is celebrated with the traditional Gujarati dances of “Garba” and “Dandiya Raas”. During the festival, devotees perform the following activities:

• Worshipers invite Goddess Durga (known as “Maa Amba” to Gujaratis) to their house by performing “Devi Sthapna” puja,
• Devotees visit temples,
• They fast for Navratri’s nine days followed by prayer. Nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped, one for each day.
• Devotees light a lamp in a “Garbo” or “Ghatasthapana” (decorated earthen pot) for 9 days. The “Garbo” has holes in it and it represents the human body.
• In the evening, all family members celebrate the victory of Goddess Ambaji/Durga over Mahisasura by dancing “Raas Garba” and “Dandiya Raas”.
• “Dusshera” is celebrated on the day after the 9^th day of Navratri.

Mumbai’s Most Famous and Best Navratri (Dandiya, Garba) Locations

Listed below are some of Mumbai’s biggest and most famous venues and organizers of “Dandya Raas” and “Garba”:

• Goregaon Sports Club, Link Road, Malad (West) – Sankalp Dandiya Navratri Group
• MHADA Ground, Malvani, Malad West – Musa Paik Navratri Utsav
• Kora Kendra Ground, Borivali (West) – Kora Kendra Navratri Mahautsav
• Malpani Ground, Link Road, Borivali (West) – Meera Navratri Utsav
• Jasodha Rang Mandir, Vile Parle (West) – First Road Navratri Mahotsav
• Somaiya College Ground, Vidyavihar (East) – Ghatkopar Gujarati Samaj (Preity and Pinky)
• EsselWorld, Madh Island
• Bhavan’s College Ground, D N Nagar Road, Andheri (West)
• Police Hockey Ground, Near Eastern Express Highway, Ghatkopar (East) – Wadhwa Raas
• Tulip Star Hotel, Juhu Tara Road
• Kamgar Krida Mandal, Babasaheb Ambedkar Nagar, Dadar (West) – Broadscope
• Cricket Club Of India, Churchgate

In addition to these venues, many housing societies in Mumbai organize Navratri celebrations in their buildings.

Famous Mumbai Navratri Dandiya Rass and Garba Singers, Performers

• Falguni Pathak; her band is called “Tha Thaiyaa”
• Preeti and Pinky
• Manish Parekh and his band
• Devendra Joshi
• Bhumi Trivedi
• The Beaters, whose lead singer is Maneesha Savla

Traditional Navratri Dances of Dandiya Raas and Raas Garba

In “Garba” the dancer moves his/her hands and feet to four beats; whereas in “Dandiya Rass”, dancers dance with sticks.

Garba Dance

• The easiest and most popular Raas Garba dances are the “Be Taali” (2 claps) and “Traan Taali” (3 claps). Please see the below video for simple instructions on these Garba steps.
• Other popular types of Garba Rass Dance are “Butterfly” (clapping and moving in a circle like a butterfly), “Trikonyu” (make a triangle movement), “Hudo” (raise hands and clap with a partner after 4 beats), “Popatiyu” (clap after 2 steps forward and 4 steps back), “Dodhiyu” (forward and backward movement to 8, 10, 12 beats), etc.

Dandiya Rass Dance

• Dandia Raas is played with 2 decorated sticks which are touched with a partner’s sticks in a choreographed pattern. Usually, dancers form an inner and outer circle; one moves in a clock-wise and the other in a counter clock-wise direction. The inner and outer circle dancers partner each other in playing Dandiya Rass.
• Different types of Dandiya Raas dance are “Five Steps” technique, “Seven Steps”, etc. “5 Step Dandiya Raas” is the most popular Dandia and the below video has easy instructions on how to play 5 Step Dandiya Raas.

The original folk dances of Garba Rass and Dandia Raas started as a depiction of the 9 day battle between Goddess Durga (“Ambaji”) and Mahisasura. With this in mind, the “Dandiya” (sticks) and the “Garba” style of dance make a lot of sense.

Mahisasura was an “Asura” (Demon) who defeated Indra, the Hindu God of the “Devas” (Gods). Mahisasur threw out the Gods from Heaven. Since Mahisasura could not be defeated by any man, the Gods created Durga an avatar of Godess Parvati or Shakti. Maa Durga defeated the “Asuras” (Demons) and fought a long 9 day battle with Mahisasura, finally killing him on the tenth day.

Famous Navrati Dandiya Raas and Garba Rass Songs

Popular Navratri Garba and Dandya Raas songs are “Dholi Taro”, “Aavo Ramva Raas”, “Nagar Nand ji Na Laal”, “Hu tau Gai ti Mele”, etc

Clothes Worn for Navratri, Garba Raas Dance and Dandia Raas

Young girls and ladies wear colourful ethnic Gujarati style “Chaniya Choli”, “Ghagra Choli”, “Lehenga Choli” and sarees. Metal jewellery is often worn and so are white bangles on the forearms and biceps.

On top, boys and men wear the traditional Gujarati Kurta, called “Zabbho” or “Kedia” (“Kediya”) and on the bottom a Pajama or Dhoti called “Dhotiyu” or “Lehanghas”. Men also wear a “Pagdee” (Turban).

Navratri Festival Dates and Dandiya Timing in Mumbai

• In 2013, Navratri festival starts on October 5, 2013 (Saturday) and ends on October 13, 2013 (Sunday).
• Mumbai has a 10:00 pm deadline for Dandiya Raas and Garba. On the last 2 days of Navratri, Garba and Dandiya organizers are allowed to play music up to 12:00 midnight.
• As per Mumbai rules, 55 decibels is the maximum level of noise allowed in residential areas before 10:00 pm. After 10:00 pm, the noise level should not exceed 45 decibel.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai and Best Ganesh Idols in 2013
• Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai and Best Ganesh Idols in 2012
• Diwali Festival celebrations in Mumbai
• Famous Hindu Temples And Places Of Worship In Mumbai

IMAGES:

• Image 1: Image by FrenchKheldar. Image licensed under Creative Commons license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
• Image 2: Garba dancers perform in Ambaji temple premises. Image by Anurag Agnihotri. Image licensed under Creative Commons license Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
• Image 3: Image by Restless mind. Image licensed under Creative Commons license Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Article has 2014 List of Holidays, both Public and Bank Holidays, in Maharashtra, Mumbai and India. “Gazetted Holidays” and “Restricted Holidays” dates for Indian Central Government employees are listed below.

2014 Public Holiday Dates in Maharashtra and Mumbai

Bank Holidays in 2014 in Maharashtra and Mumbai

In addition to the above Government Holidays, Banks in Maharashtra and Mumbai will be closed on the following Bank Holidays in 2014. Banks settle their financial accounts on these days.

2014 Holidays that Fall On Sundays

The following public holidays in 2014 are on a Sunday, which is in any case a government holiday in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

2014 Government List of Holidays in India and its States

The below 14 “Gazetted Holidays” in 2014 are compulsory holidays for all Central Government of India employees both at the Centre and in the States.

2014 “Gazetted Holidays” List in India – List of Holidays in India

2014 “Restricted Holidays” Dates in India

In addition to the above 14 Indian “Gazetted Holidays” in 2014, State Governments have the flexibility to choose three more holidays from the below list as Gazette Holidays in their states.

Over and above this, government employees in India have the flexibility to choose two additional holidays in 2014 from the below list of “Restricted Holidays”.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Diwali in Mumbai
• Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganpati Visarjan in Mumbai
• Navratri, Garba and Dandiya Raas in Mumbai
• List of Holidays in India, Maharashtra and Mumbai in 2013

IMAGES:

• Image 1 (Holi): Image by Paina Uttar Pradesh. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
• Image 2 (Republic Day): Image by Anthony Majanlahti. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
• Image 3 (Durga Pooja): Image by Dipankan001. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014 (KGAF) is the second largest Arts Festival in the world. The 9 day Kala Ghoda Festival has over 400 events in 11 categories. Entry to all events at Kala Ghoda Art Festival is free.

Dates of the 2014 Kala Ghoda Festival in Mumbai

1. Start Date of Kala Ghoda Art Festival 2014:  February 1, 2014 (Saturday)
2. End Date of Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014:  February 9, 2014 (Sunday)

Events at Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014 (KGAF)

1. Children
2. Cinema
3. Dance
4. Food
5. Literature
6. Music
7. Street Events
8. Theater
9. Heritage Walks
10. Workshops
11. Visual Arts Installations

In addition there are stalls at Kala Ghoda Festival which display and sell Art and Craft goods. NGOs too put up stalls at the Arts Festival.

Information and applications form for stalls at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014 is available at the Kala Ghoda Association website.

Full Schedule of Kala Ghoda Festival 2014

Full Schedule of the 2014 Kala Ghoda Arts Festival will be available in the last week of January, 2014.

Location, Venue and Map of 2014 Kala Ghoda Art Festival

The Kala Ghoda Festival is centered at K Dubash Marg (Kala Ghoda). As the festival has grown, it has spread out to places around it. Map shows the key places where the Kala Ghoda Art Festival 2014 is held.

View Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Location in a Larger Map

Venues for Events at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014 (KGAF)

• Kala Ghoda Road or K Dubash Marg
• Rampart Row Amphitheater
• Prince Of Wales Museum (“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahlaya”): Museum Lawns, Coomaraswamy Hall, Visitors’ Centre
• National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)
• David Sassoon Library
• Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
• Max Mueller Bhavan
• Town Hall Steps (Asiatic Library)
• Horniman Circle Garden
• Cross Maidan
• Gallery Beyond
• Art Entrance
• Artists Centre
• Hacienda Art Gallery
• Gallery Beyond
• Gallery ICIAA
• Artisans and Gallery
• Bellagio Bistro
• Parking Lot outside Jehangir Art Gallery
• Amphitheatre in the center of K Dubash Marg (Kala Ghoda Road)
• Westside

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014 - Participants and Visitors info

Entry to all events at Kala Ghoda Art Festival is FREE. This link has useful tips for visitors to the Kala Ghoda Festival.

Those interested in participating in the 2014 Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), should visit the Kala Ghoda Association website or send an email to the following:

• Children: childrenkgaf14@gmail.com
• Cinema: cinemakgaf14@gmail.com
• Dance: dancekgaf14@gmail.com
• Food: foodkgaf14@gmail.com
• Literature: heritagekgaf14@gmail.com
• Music: musickgaf14@gmail.com
• Street Events: streetkgaf14@gmail.com
• Theatre: theatrekgaf14@gmail.com
• Heritage Walks: heritagekgaf14@gmail.com
• Workshops: workshopskgaf14@gmail.com
• Visual Arts: vakgaf14@gmail.com
• Stalls: stallskgaf14@gmail.com

Video of a Street Event at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival

Kala Ghoda Association

The Kala Ghoda Association is the organizer of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF). In addition to the KGAF, the association is involved in improving the physical infrastructure in Kala Ghoda and in showcasing the art galleries and cultural organizations in this precinct.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2013 – Visual Art Installations
• Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2013
• Useful Tips for Visitors to Kala Ghoda Festival
• A child’s visit to Kala Ghoda Arts Festival
• Kala Ghoda Art Festival 2012
• Mumbai’s Mount Mary Bandra Fair
• Tourist Attractions and Walking Tour of South Mumbai

Listed below are the main Art and Cultural Events, Festivals, Shows, Concerts and Activities in Mumbai in 2014.

JANUARY 2014: Main Events and Cultural Festivals in Mumbai

FEBRUARY 2014: Arts Festivals and Major Festivals in Mumbai

MARCH 2014: Theatre and Music Festivals and Events in Mumbai

APRIL 2014: Art and Cultural Festivals and Events in Mumbai

MAY 2014: Main Events and Cultural Activities in Mumbai

JUNE 2014: Events and Shows in Mumbai

JULY 2014: Music Festivals, Shows and Events in Mumbai

AUGUST 2014: Festivals, Shows, Cultural Events in Mumbai

SEPTEMBER 2014: Concerts, Events, Festivals in Mumbai

OCTOBER 2014: Film and Dance Festivals and Major Events in Mumbai

NOVEMBER 2014: Festivals, Art Events and Main Activities in Mumbai

DECEMBER 2014: Festivals and Major Events in Mumbai

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Kala Ghoda Festival 2014
• Ganesh Chaturthi and Mumbai’s Best Ganpati Idols and Mandals
• Navratri, Garba Rass and Dandiya Raas in Mumbai
• Mount Mary Bandra Fair
• Diwali Festival Celebrations in Mumbai
• Femina Miss India Beauty Pageant
• 2014 List of Bank and Public Holidays in Mumbai and Maharashtra 

IMAGES:

• Mumbai Marathon: Image by Sthitaprajna Jena. Image used Ceative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
• Mahalaxmi Race Course: Image by Rudolph.A.Furtado. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work, has released this work into the public domain.
• Lakme Fashion Week and Sabyasachi Mukherjee: Image by Sou Boyy. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
• Symphony Orchestra of India at NCPA: Image by Amol Hatwar. Image used Ceative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0).
• Mood Indigo Concert: Image by Aditijain. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work, has released this work into the public domain.

Listed below are Mumbai’s main tourist attractions and fun activities that residents and tourists can enjoy with their children.

1] Mumbai Nature, Parks, Picnic Spots for Families and Children

Borivali National Park – Lion and Tiger Safari, Boating, Toy Train

Sanjay Gandhi National Park (aka Borivali National Park) is a large protected forest (National Park). Spread over 104 Sq Km, Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park has 251 species of birds, 40 species of mammals (deer, leopards, lions, porcupine, hyena, etc), 50,000 species of insects, 38 species of reptiles (crocodiles, cobras, vipers, pythons, lizards, etc), 150 species of butterflies, 9 species of amphibians, 172 species of butterflies and 1,000 plant species.

6 Kms in the deep forest of Sanjay Gandhi National Park are the 2,400 year old Buddhist rock formations of Kanheri Caves. Tulsi and Vihar Lake are inside the National Park. Borivali National Park is one of Asia’s most visited National Parks. Boriwali National Park is the green lungs of Mumbai city. It is a great place for a picnic for the entire family.

Key attractions and activities for visitors to Sanjay Gandhi National Park are as follows:

• Lion and Tiger Safari in a bus
• Large forest with rich biodiversity
• Boating in pedal boats
• Mini train, called “Vavrani” (Jungle Queen), that travels 2.5 Km through the National Park
• Kanheri Caves has many caves, historical Buddhist monuments and stunning views of Borivali National Park and Mumbai from the top of the caves
• 6 Km hike from the entrance to Kanheri Caves
• Regular educational nature trips and hikes organized by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and World Wide Fund for Nature – India (WWF-India)
• Hikes, rock climbing and nature trails (Ashok Van trail, Malad trail, Yeoor trail, Shilonda trail, Gaumukh trail, etc – details at the Borivali entrance of the National Park, or call 022- 28866449)
• Open children’s play area near the entrance
• Trimurti Jain Temple

Timing of Borivali National Park is from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Special morning walk passes are available for walks from 5:00 am to 7:30 am. Borivali Station is the closest Mumbai Local train station.

BNHS Treks, Bird Watching, Nature Excursions and BNHS Camps

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) conducts One day nature walks, bird watching sessions, insect spotting programs, nature treks, talks by experts, film screening, etc, in and around Mumbai. In addition BNHS also conducts some very interesting National and International camps.

All these interesting activities are not restricted to BNHS members, but non-members too can enjoy them. For details of Bombay Natural History Society’s programs visit their website.

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is one of India’s largest and oldest NGOs involved in nature conservation and biodiversity research. BNHS also conducts educational programs, publishes a quarterly magazine called “Hornbill”, publishes books and audio/video material, has an extensive library and offers consultancy services.

Mumbai Zoo (Jijamata Udyan)

Mumbai Zoo is spread over 48 acres at Byculla, in Central Mumbai. Bombay Zoo has lions, elephants, bears, monkeys, crocodiles, deer, hippopotamus, snakes, peacocks, birds, pelicans, flamingos, etc. Children will enjoy the animals and green open spaces. There is a play area for kids in the Zoo. There are plans to improve Mumbai Zoo, but not much has been implemented.

Official name of Mumbai’s Zoo is “Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan”; it is also called “Jijamata Udyan”. Mumbai Zoo is closed on Wednesdays and Zoo timings is from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Just outside the Zoo is the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Closest Local Train station is Byculla on the the Central Line.

Aarey Milk Colony

Spread over 4000 acres, Aarey Milk Colony is a popular picnic spot. Aarey Milk Colony is a large 1,287 hectares, open, green space where cattle are reared for milk. There is a milk processing plant which pasteurizes 40,000 litres of milk per day. Visitors can see the plant from 11:00 am to 5:30 pm (call 022-29272434).

Aarey Milk Colony has a 10 Km stretch of Walker’s track and many nature trails. Aarey Milk Colony is also popular with serious runners. Many Mumbai schools hold their cross-country races at Aarey Milk Colony. Aarey is also popular with cyclist. Deep within Aarey is the Aarey Garden Restaurant. At the Southern tip of Aarey Milk Colony is Chhota Kashmir, a popular boating and picnic spot for the entire family.

Aarey Milk Colony is located between Goregaon (E) in the West and Powai Lake in the East and Borivali National Park in the North. There is a poorly maintained toll road that runs from Powai Lake to Goregaon (E). Western Railway’s Goregaon Station is the closest Suburban Train station.

Chota Kashmir (Aarey Milk Colony): Boating, Picnic Spot

Located in Aarey Milk Colony, off the Aarey Road, “Chota Kashmir” is a family picnic spot. The reason it is called “Chota” (Small) Kashmir is because there is lake with paddle boats, similar to Srinagar’s Dal Lake. “Chotta Kashmir” also has a nice garden, kid’s play area and food stalls. The garden is open from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm. “Chotta Kashmir” is located off the Western Express Highway near Goregaon East and the closest Mumbai Suburban Train station is Goregaon.

Picnic and Outing at Powai Lake

Even though the area around Powai Lake has residential and commercial complexes, there are still places where families can have a picnic along this artificial lake. Powai Lake is also home to Maharashtra’s oldest fishing association, “Maharashtra State Angling Association”, founded in 1936 (contact number 022-28571780). Angling Association is for Mumbai’s fishing enthusiast, who are also involved in the conservation of Powai Lake.

A picnic at Powai Lake, followed by a walk along Powai promenade and a visit to Hiranandani’s Powai complex, is an enjoyable way to spend a family holiday. Powai Hiranandani has many activities for the entire family, including Go Karting, Bowling, Games, Shopping, good restaurants, etc.

A good time to visit Powai Lake is during the monsoon when the lake overflows, forming mini waterfalls. Many Mumbaites visit Powai Lake to get drenched in these waterfalls.

North of Powai Lake is Vihar Lake, which used to be a popular picnic spot, but since 1993 BMC has restricted access to the public.

Flamingo Watching in Mumbai at Sewri and Thane Creek

Beautiful pink Lesser Flamingos (Phoenicopterus Minor) visit Mumbai in the winters from November to March. It’s a lovely sight to see hundreds of pink flamingoes, with dark black bills, feeding on the wet mudflats of Sewri and Thane creek. In addition to Flamingoes, bird lovers can also see Kingfishers, Sandpipers, Terns, Harriers, Godwits, Shanks, Gulls, Herons, Black-headed Ibises, Egrets, etc. These Flamingos come from the north for winter, especially from Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch.

There are very few places in India where visitors can see so many flamingos in one place.

The pink Lesser Flamingoes come to the Sewri Creek Mudflats, Mahul and Thane Creek in search of algae, which is their staple food. They also come to breed and lay eggs among Mumbai mangroves.

In the past, many flamingoes would visit the wetlands of Uran, but the reclamation of land for the Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ) has destroyed the flamingos’ natural habitat.

To see Mumbai’s flamingoes, travel east from Sewri station up to Sewri wharf. Do carry your binoculars for a closer look at these magnificent birds.

2] Mumbai’s Beaches, Boat Rides and Attractions Related to the Sea

Mumbai’s Walk and Promenades along the Sea Coast

Natural scenic beauty of the Arabian Sea and the cool sea breeze are reasons why people flock to Mumbai’s promenades along the sea. Most Bombay Sea walkways are along the West Coast, which offers stunning sunsets in the evening. Major Sea Walks in Mumbai are as follows:

• Marine Drive
• Along Chowpatty Beach
• Gateway of India
• Haji Ali and Race Course
• Worli Sea Face
• Bandra Bandstand
• Carter Road
• Juhu Beach
• Versova Beach

Elephanta Caves and Boat Ride from Gateway of India

Elephanta Caves is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, located on Elephanta Island (Gharapuri). Elephanta Caves are one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Mumbai; the other is VT (CST) Station.

Elephanta Caves are located on an island and consists of two Buddhist caves and five Hindu caves, which have carved statues of Hindu Gods. The Hindu caves are mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The largest Elephanta Cave has an imposing 20 feet “Trimurti” sculptor, the three heads of Lord Shiva, which represent creation, protection and destruction.

Elephanta Caves can be reached by boat ferry from Gateway Of India, which is 11 Km (7 miles) away. There are boats every 30 minutes from Gateway Of India, starting at 9:00 am until 2:30 pm. The return ferry service from Elephanta Island to Gateway Of India starts from 12:00 noon and the last boat ferry is at 5:30 pm. Return ticket costs Rs 120.

Tourist can take short pleasure boat rides at Gateway of India which last around 30 minutes. Ferry boats take passengers for a short ride in the Arabian Sea from where they can view the Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Hotel and parts of Mumbai docks. Visit this link for more information on Boat Rides from Gateway of India.

Boat from Gateway of India to Alibag, Via Mandwa

Alibaug is a popular beach destination near Mumbai. Daily boats are available from Gateway of India (Colaba) to Alibag via Mandwa Jetty. Journey from Gateway of India to Mandwa Jetty is by boat and from Mandwa to Alibaug is by bus. Boat service from Gateway of India is from 6:15 am to 6:30 pm. Bus and Boat service from Alibaugh is from 6:55 am to 6:30 pm.

The three operators who offer the Boat and Bus journey from Gateway of India to Alibaug are Ajanta (022-22026364/22023585), PNP (022-22885220/21) and Maldar (022-22829695). Combined cost of Boat Ferry and Bus ticket from Gateway of India (Bori Bandar) to Alibaug is between Rs 85 to Rs 140. Air-conditioned Mumbai-Alibag boat service is around Rs 140. This service is not available in the Monsoon season.

Road Distance from Mumbai (Dadar) to Alibaug is 100 Km and the journey can take over 3 hours. The same journey by boat takes only 2 hours. Distance between Gateway of India to Mandwa Jetty is 15 Km (approx) and from Mandwa to Alibaugh is 20.5 Km.

Beaches in and around Alibag include Alibag beach, Raiwadi Beach, Revdanda Beach, Varsoli Beach, Kihim Beach, Awas Beach, Sasawane Beach and Saaral Beach.

Boat Ferry Services in Mumbai

In addition to the ferry service from Gateway Of India to Elephanta Caves and Alibag, the following ferry rides are also available in Mumbai:

• Ferry Wharf (Bhaucha Dhakka near Princess Dock) to Uran Boat Ferry
• Versova Jetty to Madh Island Boat Ferry
• Marve Beach Ferry to Manori Ferry Point
• Borivali West (Gorai Khadi or Gorai Creek) to Esselworld Ferry Point at Gorai
• Borivali West (Gorai Khadi) to Gorai Ferry Point

Beaches in and around Mumbai

Mumbai has beautiful golden sand beaches. Sadly, the local authorities have not developed beach infrastructure (shower areas, changing rooms, lifeguards, etc) and water sports (skiing, surfing, boating, etc). As a result, taking a dip in the sea is a challenge. Beaches along Madh Island, Uttan and Gorai have shacks and small hotels which offer rooms; these are ideal for a day out at Mumbai’s beach.

• Chowpatty Beach
• Dadar/Shivaji Park Beach
• Juhu Beach
• Versova Beach
• Madh Island Beaches  – Marve Beach, Hamla Beach, Aksa Beach, Dana Pani Beach, Erangal Beach, Silver Beach
• Uttan Beach
• Gorai Beach
• Manori Beach

• Beaches North of Mumbai – Kelva Beach, Mahim Beach, Palghar Beach, Boisar Beach, Navapur Beach, Umbergaon Beach
• Beaches South of Mumbai – Alibag beach, Kashid Beach, Murud Beach, Kondvil Beach, Aaravi Beach, Harihareshwar Beach, Raiwadi Beach, Revdanda Beach, Varsoli Beach, Kihim Beach, Awas Beach, Sasawane Beach Saaral Beach

NOTE OF CAUTION:

• Sea along the Madh, Gorai and Uttan Beaches has strong undercurrents; so it is not advisable to go deep into the water.
• Even in a city like Mumbai there are idiots who stand and stare at ladies wearing swimsuits. It is advisable for ladies to dress modestly at the beach.

H2O Water Sports Complex

Located at Girgaon Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai’s H2O Water Sports Complex offers water and beach related activities, including, Jet Skiing, Water Skiing, Wake Boarding, Parasailing, Sailing, Wind Surfing, Kayaking, Beach Volleyball, Speed Boats, Luxury Boats for hire, Bay Cruise, Yacht Charter, events, etc. H2O Water Sports Complex has trained and certified life guards and they use international standard equipment.

3] Mumbai Tourist Spots, Walks, Tours, Activities for Families

Tourist Attractions and Places of Interest in South Mumbai

South Mumbai is Mumbai’s main tourist destination. South Bombay has stunning architecture and is a tourist’s delight. South Mumbai’s architecture is a mix of Victorian influences, Gothic architecture, Art Deco architecture and Indo-Saracenic architecture (mix of Islamic, Hindu, English Gothic, Victorian and Neo-Classical). Mumbai’s Marine Drive has the second largest collection of Art-Deco Architecture in the world. India has submitted Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai to UNESCO Committee for evaluation as a World Heritage Site.

Key Tourist attractions in South Mumbai are Colaba, Gateway of India, Mumbai’s Art District, Museum, Oval, Fort, VT (CST), Churchgate, Marine Drive, Azad Maidan, Cross Maidan, Crawford Market, Hanging Garden, Haji Ali, Mahalaxmi, Worli Sea Face, etc.

This link has detailed information on a One Day Walking Tour of South Mumbai’s Main Attractions.

Interesting Mumbai City Tours

Listed below are some interesting city tours in Mumbai:

• Many tour operators offer a daily Mumbai Tour, also called “Mumbai Darshan”. These are guided tours of the main tourist places in Bombay.
• Bollywood Studio Tour where Hindi movies are filmed. This link has maps of Hindi movie stars who live in Mumbai.
• Guided tour of Dharavi conducted by Reality Tours and Travel. 80% of the post tax profit is given to a Dharavi NGO.
• “Mumbai by Night” tour by Reality Tours and Travel.
• Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) conducts nature walks every weekend. Visit their website for schedule.
• Tour operator Mumbai Magic conducts tours on the people of Mumbai and Bombay attractions by local transport.
• MTDC runs a South Mumbai tour on an open air tour bus (“Nilambari”). Bus is available on Saturday and Sunday.
• Breakaway runs a tour of Dhobhighat (Washer man area) and Mumbai’s unique “Dabbawalas”

Mumbai’s Best Temples and Famous Mumbai Religious Places

Listed below are some of Mumbai’s best Temples, Mosques, Jain Mandirs, Synagogues and places of religious worship:

• Mumba Devi Temple, which is near Crawford Market and Jhaveri Bazaar. Goddess Mumbadevi is the patron Goddess of Mumbai and the city is named after her.
• Mahalaxmi Temple near Peddar Road and Haji Ali
• Babulnath Temple (Girgaum, Chowpatty), ISKCON temple is opposite it
• ISKCON Temples at Girgaon (Chowpatty) and Juhu
• Babu Amichand Panalal Adishwarji Jain Temple at Malabar Hill
• Godiji Parshwanath Jain Temple in Pydhonie
• Haji Ali Mosque
• Gate of Mercy Synagogue at Masjid Bunder
• Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue at Kala Ghoda
• Shree Siddhivinayak Temple at Prabhadevi
• Banganga, which is a lovely holy pond with temples all around it; the most famous temple is Shri Walkeshwar Temple. Banganga is located at the end of Walkeshwar and Napean Sea Road.
• Hari Mandir at Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar
• Swaminarayan Temple at Dadar East
• Phanswadi Tirupathi Balaji Temple, also called Sree Venkateshwara Devasthanam at Charni Road
• Hanuman Mandir at Dadar East
• Sitaladevi Temple at Mahim
• Kanyakaparameshwari Temple and Kannikaparemashwari Mandir at Telang Road, Matunga East. There are 15 temples at Matunga.
• St. Thomas’s Cathedral at Fort
• Cathedral of Holy Name at Regal, Colaba
• Afghan Church and RC Church at the North end of Colaba, before Navy Nagar
• Gloria Church at Byculla
• Mount Mary Basilica at Hill Road, Bandra West
• St. Andrew’s Church at Bandra West
• St. Michael’s Church at Mahim
• Portuguese Church at Dadar West
• Holy Cross Church, Kurla
• Church of Our Lady of Dolours at Wadala
• Elephanta Caves which have Buddhist and Hindu idols
• Kanheri Caves inside Borivali National Park, which is an ancient Buddhist place of worship
• Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple at Worli
• Global Pagoda at Gorai beach, which at 29 feet is the world’s largest stone dome that is built without any supporting pillars
• Jama Masjid Mosque at Crawford Market, Kalbadevi
• Manekji Sett Shenshai Fire Temple (Agiary) at Fort, Mumbai. NOTE: Only Parsees are allowed in Fire Temples.

Best Gardens and Parks in Mumbai Gardens

Listed below are some of Mumbai’s beat gardens,  parks and open recreational spaces:

• Priyadarshani Park, Hanging Garden and Kamla Nehru Park are 3 great gardens and parks in Malabar Hill and Napean Sea Road.
• Harish Mahindra Children’s Park at Breach Candy has fun equipment for kids. Breach Candy also has the Breach Candy Garden (Tata Garden) and Amarson Garden
• Maidans of South Mumbai, including Oval Maidan, Cross Maidan and Azad Maidan
• Horniman Circle Garden, Fort
• Mahalakshmi Race Course
• Shivaji Park and Sane Guruji Garden near Siddhivinayak Temple
• Jogger’s Park and Patwardhan Park and D’Monte Park at Bandra West
• Juju Garden, Muktananda Park, Rotary Park and Kaifi Azmi Park at Juhu
• Veer Savarkar Udyan and Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivali
• Bombay Presidency Golf Club and Diamond Gardens at Chembur
• Kalidas Park and Johnson and Johnson Garden in Mulund
• Prabodhankar Thackeray Udyan at Parel
• Joseph Baptista Garden at Dockyard Road (Mazgaon)

Best Malls in Mumbai that Offer Entertainment

In addition to shopping, the below Mumbai Malls also offer great food and entertainment.

• High Street Phoenix at Lower Parel has four shopping zones – “Palladium” for high end luxury shopping, SkyZone, Grand Galleria and High Street Units. There are 500 brands available in an area of 3.3 million sq ft. Children and families enjoy movies at the 7 screen PVR, multi-cuisine food court, toys at Hamleys, special events at the malls, rides and games.
• Atria Millennium Mall at Worli has shops selling high end luxury products. It also has a large entertainment area for kids and families and a food court.
• InOrbit Mall at Link Road, Malad has a mix of international and national brands. On the top floor is a large food court with seating for 800 and 26 restaurants, Inox cinema, play area called “Time Zone”. InOrbit has also opened a mall at Vashi in Navi Mumbai.
• Oberoi Mall at Goregaon has a large central Atrium around which is shops, PVR cinema halls, Kid’s area, a crèche, games and restaurants.
• R City Mall, LBS at Ghatkopar West is a 1.2 lakh sq ft mall at LBS. For families and kids, there is “Jammin” (Gaming Zone), “Horror House”, Big Cinema movie halls, 46 restaurants/food kiosks, etc. India’s first “Kidzania” is at R City Mall. Kidzania is an edutainment park for kids from 4 to 14 where they learn while playing games. Shahrukh Khan is part owner of Kidzania. Kidzania ticket cost Rs 700 for 5 hours.
• Raghuleela at Kandivali has 800 shops is spread over 4 floors. Raghuleela also has a bowling alley, gaming zone, food court, 4 Fame cinema halls. Raghuleela also has a mall at Vashi.

4] Mumbai’s Art, Museums, History, Educational Places for Families

Art Galleries and Art Precinct of Mumbai

The largest Art Precinct of Mumbai is in and around Colaba and Kala Ghoda. Prominent galleries in this area include Jahangir Art Gallery (near the Museum), National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) (opposite the museum), Volte (Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba), Sakshi Art Gallery (Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba), Lakeeren, The Contemporary Art Gallery (Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba),  Chemould Prescott Road Gallery (Queen’s Mansion, Fort), Pundole Art Gallery (DN Road, Fort), Tasveer (ICIA House, Kala Ghoda), Project 88 (BMP Building, Colaba), Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation (in the Prince of Wales Museum), Gallery Maskara (Third Pasta Lane, Colaba), Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke (Mereweather Road, Behind Taj Mahal Hotel), Chatterjee & Lal (Kamal Mahal, Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba ), The Guild Art Gallery (Kamal Mahal, Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba), Amrita and Priya Jhaveri Project Space (Bungalow 8, Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba), Mumbai Art Room (Fourth Pasta Lane, Colaba)

Prince of Wales Museum is Mumbai’s main Museum

Mumbai’s biggest museum, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya”, was previously called Prince of Wales Museum.

Mumbai’s Prince of Wales Museum has three main sections – Art, Archaeology and Natural History. Over 50,000 Indian and international artifacts are on display at “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya”.

The impressive Bombay Museum building is built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, which was popular in Bombay in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Mumbai’s Prince of Wales Museum is located at Kala Ghoda (near Regal, Colaba and Fort) in South Mumbai.

Mani Bhavan: Mahatma Gandhi’s Mumbai Residence and Museum

Mani Bhavan was Mahatma Gandhi’s Mumbai headquarters from 1917 to 1934. Key movements related to India’s independence (Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation movement, Swadeshi, Khadi, Khilafat, etc) were started here.

Mani Bhavan has many Mahatma Gandhi photos and articles. Mani Bhavan is located at Gamdevi, near Chowpatty beach. Mani Bhavan is close to August Kranti Maidan from where the Quit India movement was started in 1942.

Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum at Mumbai Zoo

• Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum is Mumbai’s oldest museum. It has artifacts related to Bombay’s history and culture.
• The Bhau Daji Lad Museum has beautiful interiors. Bhau Daji Lad Museum building is based on Palladian design. The museum building and interiors were recently restored after extensive work.
• Bhau Daji Lad Museum has been awarded UNESCO’s “Award of Excellence”.
• Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum is located near the entrance of Mumbai Zoo (“Jijimata Udyan”) at Byculla East.
• Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum has 6 galleries and a library. Museum tours are conducted on Saturday and Sunday. Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum is closed on Wednesday and some public holidays. Its timing is from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Visit Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum’s excellent website for further information.

RBI Monetary Museum at Ballard Estate, Mumbai

Located at Ballard Estate (near Fort and VT), the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Museum has artifacts and information regarding money, coins and Reserve Bank of India. RBI Monetary Museum has six sections.

Nehru Planetarium

Nehru Planetarium has daily, multiple documentary shows about space and astronomy in Hindi and English. These shows are a good educational tool for children.

When visiting Nehru Planetarium, do visit the Nehru center which has information on the history of India, visit the theater for a play and visit the art gallery.

Tarapore Aquarium

Below average fish Aquarium, whose biggest advantage is that is located on the amazing Marine Drive.

Forts in Mumbai

Most of Mumbai’s forts are in dilapidated condition. Forts in Bombay include:

• Bombay Castle (Casa da Orta), which is now a naval building
• Bandra Fort (Castella de Aguada)
• Sewree Fort
• Mazagon Fort
• Worli Fort
• Mahim Fort, the oldest of Bombay’s forts
• Madh Fort
• Sion Fort

5] Mumbai’s Theme Parks and Amusement Parks for the Entire Family

Adlabs Imagica Theme Park

• Adlabs Imagica is India’s biggest international quality entertainment theme park. With 21 rides and attractions, Adlabs Imagica is bigger than many Asian theme parks.
• Some of the best rides at Adlabs Imagica are Nitro (Asia’s largest roller coaster), Scream Machine, Mr India, D2 Dare Drop, “I For India”, Deep Space, Alibaba, Cinema 360, Curse of Salimgarh, Bandits of Robin Hood (Roller coaster for young children), Bump in Boats. Visit this link for more information on Adlabs Imagica – It’s rides, ticket cost, directions.
• Spread over 6 zones, Adlabs Imagica also offers stage shows, street entertainment and exciting food. Those visiting should plan to spend the entire day.
• Adlabs Imagica timing is from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, though the theme park ticket counter opens at 10:00 am and the park closes at 9:00 pm.
• Adlabs Imagica is located at Khopoli which is 70 Km from Mumbai and 90 Km from Pune. Visit this link for details on how to reach Adlabs Imagica.
• Ticket costs on weekends and holidays are more than on weekend. Do visit their website for information on current ticket deals and discounts.
• Adlabs Water Park is expected to start in 2014.

EsselWorld Amusement Park and Water Kingdom

• EsselWorld is a large amusement park with rides, games and food and Water Kingdom is a Theme Water Park. Both these parks are located over 64 acres at Gorai in North-West Mumbai.
• Essel World is India’s largest amusement park (different from theme park) with 9 adult rides, 14 children’s rides and 13 family activities. In addition is also has a 3,400 sq ft ice skating rink, 6 lane bowling alley, a dance floor and 6 food outlets.
• Water Kingdom claims to be Asia’s largest Theme Water Park.  Essel Water Kingdom has 21 water based attractions/rides spread over 5 zones (Lagoon, Missphisly Hill, Adventure Amazonia, Wetlantic and Brat Zone). NOTE: Nylon or Lycra swimwear is compulsory for all visitors. In case visitors forget, swimwear is available at Essel Water Kingdom.
• Both EsselWorld Amusement Park and Water Kingdom are open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. Visit their website for latest prices and ticket deals.

Fun Fare (Mela) Locations in Mumbai

Throughout the city there are places which have basic amusement rides (merry-go-round, wheels, rocking boats, etc), inflatable jumpers, horse rides, etc. Usually these places come to life in the evening when offices are closed. Some such locations in Mumbai are:

• Nariman Point (evenings and on Sundays)
• Cooperage
• Aarey Milk Colony
• Breach Candy
• Wonderland Park, Neral
• Chowpatty,
• Juhu Beach

6] Sports, Games, Physical Activity in Mumbai for Kids and Parents

Cricket Match at a Mumbai Maidan (Play Ground)

A cricket pitch can be hired for a day at one of Mumbai’s cricket maidans (grounds). Popular Mumbai Cricket grounds are Azad Maidan , Cross Maidan, Oval Maidan, Shivaji Park, Matunga (W) outside Ruia college, etc.

Bowling Alleys in Mumbai

Bowling is a fun activity which the entire family can indulge in. Bowling alleys in Mumbai are at:

• Smaash, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel
• Inorbit Mall, Link Road, Malad West
• Space Jam, Infiniti Mall, Link Road, Malad West,
• Raghuleela Mall, S. V. Rd, Kandivali West
• Club Aquaria, LIC Colony, Borivali West
• Essel World, Gorai
• Acres Club, Sindhi Society, Chembur
• R City Mall, L B S Marg, Ghatkopar West
• Raghuleela Mall, Opposite Vashi Railway Station

Go Karting

• Hakone, Hiranandani, Powai
• Acres Club, Sindhi Society, Chembur

H2O Water Sports Complez

Located at Chowpatty (Gigaum), H2O Water Sports Complez offers equipment and trainers for various water sports. Please see the above section on H2O Water Sports Complez.

Shooting Range in Mumbai

Maharashtra Rifle Association has modern shooting ranges in distances of 10, 25 and 50 meter. Maharashtra Rifle Association’s shooting range is located at Worli Sea Face.

7] Activities and Places of Interest Outside Mumbai

Listed below are tourist attractions outside Mumbai. Many of these tourist places are near Mumbai and can be covered in a day.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites In and Around Mumbai

Of 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the following these are in and around Mumbai city:

• Ajanta Buddhist Caves (460 Km)
• Ellora Caves which have Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religious sites (350 Km)
• Elephanta Caves which have Hindu and Buddhist religious sites
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, which was earlier, Victoria Terminus
• Western Ghats (also known as the Sahyadri Mountains, a mountain range along the western side of India and one of the world’s ten “Hottest biodiversity hotspots” (sub cluster nomination)) – A total of thirty nine properties (including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests) were designated as world heritage sites – twenty in the state of Kerala, ten in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra.
  • Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary (210 Km)
  • Chandoli National Park (390 Km)
  • Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary (300 Km)
  • Kas Plateau (285 Km)

Apart from the 30 sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, India has also maintained a list of tentative sites for recognition which has been submitted to UNESCO Committee for evaluation and acceptance.

• The Matheran Light Railway, which runs from Neral to Matheran Hill Station

Beaches Outside and Near Mumbai

• Alibaug and Kihim Beach Via Ferry. Other beaches near Alibagh are Mandwa Beach, Raiwadi Beach, Revdanda Beach, Varsoli Beach, Awas Beach, Sasawane Beach and Saaral Beach.
• Kashid Beach (130 Km) and Korlai Beach (120 Km)
• Murud Janjira Beach and Fort (150 Km)
• Shriwardhan Harihareshwar (175 Km)
• Vengurla Beach and Velneshwar (290 Km)
• Ganapatipule (325 Km)
• Tarkali (540 Km)
• Dahanu Bordi Beach (145 Km)
• Kelwa Beach and Mahim Beach near Palghar Boisar  (110 Km)
• Umbergaon Beach (160 Km)
• Daman and Diu (180 Km)

Hill Stations near Mumbai

• Matheran (90 Km)
• Malshej Ghat (135 Km)
• Lonavala and Khandala (90 Km)
• Bhandardhara (170 Km)
• Mahabaleshwar (270 Km)
• Panchgani (250 Km)
• Panhala (390 Km)
• Amboli (500 Km)
• Jawhar (160 Km)
• Toranamal (470 Km)

Forts in Maharashtra that are Close to Mumbai

• Panhala Fort (Panhalgarh Fort)
• Ahmednagar Fort
• Raigad Fort
• Rajgad
• Sindhudurg Fort
• Suvarnadurg, Gova Fort, Kanakadurg Fort, Fatehgarh Fort
• Vijaydurg Fort
• Murud-Janjira Fort
• Pratapgarh Fort
• Devagiri or Daultabad Fort
• Shivneri (birth place of Shivaji)
• Sinhagad Fort
• Vishalgad Fort (Khelna)
• Torna Fort
• Tokona (Vitandgad)
• Sudhagad (Bhorapgad) Fort
• Purandar Fort
• Ajinkyatara Fort
• Malhargad
• Kolaba Fort (Kulaba Fort)
• Arnala Fort
• Mahur Fort
• Lohagarh Visapur Fort
• Vasai Fort
• Gavilgarh Fort
• Trayambak Fort (Brahmagath), Chakan Fort

Religious Places Near Mumbai

• Shirdi
• Ashta Vinayak
• Mahalaxmi Temple (Kolhapur)
• Nanded
• Nashik
• Pandarpur
• Shani Shingnapur
• Bhimashankar (one of the 5 Jyotirlinga in Maharasthra)
• Aundha Nagnath (Jyotirlinga)
• Ghrishneshwar (Jyotirlinga)
• Parli Vaijnath (Jyotirlinga)
• Trimbakeshwar (Jyotirlinga)
• Anwar Temple
• Alandi
• Dehu
• Jejuri

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks near Mumbai in Maharashtra

• Dajippur Wildlife Sanctuary, Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary
• Mayani Bird Sanctuary
• Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, which consists of Chandoli National Park and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary
• Mayureswar Wildlife Sanctuary
• Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
• Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary
• Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary
• Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary (Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary)
• Karnala Bird Sanctuary

Adventure Sports Around Mumbai

• Blue Bulb offers paragliding, kayaking, sailing lessons, paintball, scuba diving, white water rafting, fishing, various exciting workshops, etc. Visit Blue Bulb’s website for more information.
• Della Adventure at Kunegaon, Lonavala offers 90 rides and activities
• Outbound Adventure runs one-day rafting trips on the Ulhas River near Karjat
• Snorkeling and Scuba Diving courses at Tarkali
• Camping at Bhatye near Ratnagiri
• Water sports (kayaking, windsurfing, speed boats, etc) at Panshet
• Rope rappelling at Kondana caves in Karjat and Tungarli Dam in Lonavala
• Climbing at Mumbra and Borivali National Park
• White water rafting, rappelling, kayaking at Kundalika River at Kolad
• Jet skiing, kayaking, ZORB Balls, Sand bike at Mandawa Beach by Pioneer Adventure Sports

Religious Caves in and outside Mumbai

• Kanheri Caves,
• Elephanta Caves,
• Karla Buddhist Caves
• Bhaja Buddhist Caves
• Ajanta and Ellora Caves
• Pitalkhora Buddhist Caves

Karnala Bird Sanctuary and Karnala Fort

Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a forest area (National Park), which is an ideal place for bird watchers, picnickers and trekkers. Karnala Bird Sanctuary is located beyond Navi Mumbai at a distance of 12.5 Kms from Panvel, 25 Km from Palm Beach Road at Belapur and 52 Km from Dadar, Mumbai.

Around 150 species of birds can be seen at Karnala Bird Sanctuary. The two main bird watching season are at the start of the monsoon (second week of June) and winter when 37 species of migratory birds arrive at Karnala Bird Sanctuary. The open greenery of Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a great place for the family to enjoy a picnic.

Karnala Fort is a short 1 hour trek, which is popular with trekkers.

Lonar, Maharashtra

• Lonar is the world’s third largest crater formed by a meteorite from space.
• The crater is filled with water to form a lake.

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Best tourist places and tourist attractions in Mumbai can be covered in a one day walking tour. This article has a map and detailed information of the main places of interest in South Mumbai.

Most famous tourist places in South Mumbai are listed in the table. A detailed one day walking tour of these Mumbai attractions is given below. Please click on the links for details.

Walking Tour of Main Tourist Places In Mumbai

The trip around Mumbai’s best tourist sightseeing locations starts at Churchgate and covers the below places:

1] CHURCHGATE STATION – START OF TOURIST TOUR

2] CHURCHGATE STATION TO MARINE DRIVE

3] MARINE DRIVE TO NARIMAN POINT

4] REGAL, GATEWAY OF INDIA, NGMA, MUSEUM

5] APPOLO BANDAR, COLABA, REGAL CINEMA

6] KALA GHODA, JEHANGIR ART GALLERY, MUMBAI UNIVERSITY, BOMBAY HIGH COURT, OVAL MAIDAN

7] FLORA FOUNTAIN, FORT, HORMINAN CIRCLE, RBI

8] HERITAGE NILE, P M ROAD, D N ROAD

9] VICTORIA TERMINUS, BMC HEADQUARTERS

10] CRAWFORD MARKET – WHOLESALE MARKET

11] METRO, AZAD MAIDAN, CROSS MAIDAN, CHURCHGATE

Map of Best Tourist Attractions in South Mumbai

View One Day Walking Tour of South Mumbai in a larger map

1] CHURCHGATE STATION – START OF TOURIST TOUR

(Please click on image to enlarge)

LANDMARKS: Headquarter of Western Railways, Eros Cinema Hall, Oval Ground, Life Insurance Building

OF INTEREST: Mumbai has 2 North-South Local Railway Line. These are the Central Line, which starts from Victoria Terminus (VT) and the Western Line which starts from Churchgate Station. Churchgate station is one of the busiest railway stations in the world. To see a mass of humanity, enter the station during rush hour (9:00 am to 10:30 am or 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm).

Start the tour on the Southern exit of Churchgate. On the left is a beautiful neo classical British era building which is the “Western Railway Headquarter”. Opposite the road is the Life Insurance Building and Eros cinema. To the left of Eros is a wide open Oval shaped green ground that is surrounded by trees, called “Oval”.

2] CHURCHGATE STATION TO MARINE DRIVE

(Please click on image to enlarge)

LANDMARKS: Awesome Sea view, Marine Drive, Chowpatty beach, Governor’s residence

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 400 meters. Turn right from Churchgate and walk towards the Arabian Sea.

OF INTEREST: Stunning view of the Arabian Sea. On a clear day the view of the sea and the broad promenade of Marine Drive is breath taking. From end to end, Marine Drive is shaped like a necklace and it is also called the “Queen’s Necklace”. At the Southern Tip of Marine Drive is the business district of Nariman Point and at the Northern end are the golden sandy beach of Chowpatty and the wooded area of the Governor’s residence. There is a beautiful large promenade along the entire Marine Drive. Enjoy a long walk along Marine Drive with the cool breeze of the Arabian Sea on your face.

The “Art Deco” styled buildings along Marine Drive are among the largest collection of “Art Deco” architecture in the world.

Few things are more pleasurable that spending a relaxed evening on Marine Drive watching the sun setting.

Notice a large round structure on Ambassador Hotel; this is “The Pearl of the Orient“, Mumbai’s only revolving restaurant.

3] MARINE DRIVE TO NARIMAN POINT

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LANDMARKS: Tip of Nariman Point, Air India Building, Oberoi/Trident Hotel, Brabourne Stadium, National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA), Vidhan Bhavan (Maharashtra State Legislature), Mantralaya,

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 1km. Walk south along the sea towards Nariman Point. The Air India building and Oberoi hotels are prominent landmarks.

OF INTEREST: Nariman Point is a business district of Mumbai which has been built on reclaimed land in the late 1970s. Since most of the offices are over 30 years old, the architecture is not adventurous. At one time, Nariman Point was among the top 3 most expensive real estate in the world. Nariman Point has many banks, finance companies, brokers, ad agencies, shipping firms, etc.

The tip of Nariman Point offers a beautiful wide view of the Arabian Sea. On the south side is the posh locality of Cuffe Parade. To the left one can see a small fisherman village called “Machimar Nagar”. At the tip of Nariman Point is the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) and the Oberoi and Trident hotels. The round Maharashtra legislature building (Vidhan Bhavan) is also located in Nariman Point. It contains a large statue of the symbol of India which are 4 lions facing in 4 direction.

Walk along the tree lined streets of Nariman Point and feel the buzz and energy of the Indian economy.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: From outside Churchgate station there is a direct bus service to Nariman Point (Special 9). There are also share-a-taxi services from outside Churchgate.

4] REGAL, GATEWAY OF INDIA, NGMA, MUSEUM

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LANDMARKS: Gateway of India, Regal Cinema, Prince of Wales Museum (renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya), National Gallery of Modern Art, Taj Mahal Hotel

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 2 Km. Walk away from the sea on the Madame Cama Road to reach Regal cinema round-about.

OF INTEREST: As one walks along Madame Cama Road, the large Oval ground and imposing Mumbai University building is on the left and Cooperage ground is on the right. At the Regal round-about is the imposing Prince of Wales Museum (now called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya). The museum was built in 1922 and houses around 50,000 artifacts and is a good example of the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. Opposite the museum is an impressive building with a large dome which is Mumbai’s National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). NGMA has works of many of India’s greatest contemporary artists including M F Hussain, Jatin Das, Jahangir Sabavala, Tyeb Mehta, S H Raza, F N Souza, etc. These may not be the artist’s greatest works, but it is a good introduction to modern Indian art. The gallery itself is an interesting 3 story structure with a large dome on top. Across the road is Regal cinema which was built in 1933. Across the road to its left is the impressive headquarters of Mumbai Police.

The most important monument in this area is the Gateway of India. The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay. This high arch structure is 26 meter/85 feet tall, built of yellow basalt and is influenced by Muslim and Indian architecture. There are ferry boats along the Gateway of India which talk tourist for a short ride in the Arabian Sea. There are also ferries that take tourist to the island of the Elephanta Caves which contain Buddhist Cave carvings.

Opposite the Gateway of India is the Taj Mahal Hotel (old and new buildings). Visit the elegant old Taj Mahal building and enter a world of old-world charm and luxury. The Taj Mahal has hosted many world leaders. It was attacked and damaged during the 26 November, 2008 Mumbai terrorist strike.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Buses are available from Madame Cama Road to Regal or take a taxi (fare less than Rs 30). Special Bus SPL 1 from Nariman Point to Regal.

5] APPOLO BANDAR, COLABA, REGAL CINEMA

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LANDMARKS: Radio Club, Colaba Causeway, Café Leopold, Café Mondegar, Regal, Bade Mian, Cusrow Bagh,

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 2 Km. From the Gateway of India walk along the sea promenade (Appolo Bandar) to Radio Club and take a right turn to Colaba Causeway. From Colaba take a right turn to walk back to Regal.

OF INTEREST: Colaba has many small hotels and guest houses and is a favorite destination for tourists and backpackers. The main Colaba causeway is a shopping area and it has hawkers lining the pavement selling Indian handicrafts. For Indian handicraft products and souvenirs visit “Cottage Industries Exposition” and “Apsara International” on Colaba Causeway. Since there are many foreign tourists here, there are also many small restaurants that cater to tourist. Expect to find Indian, Moghlai, Iranian, Parsi, Lebanese, Continental, British, Chinese, Japanese food in Colaba. Have a cold beer at Café Leopold and Café Mondegar. Café Leopold was attacked during the November 26 terrorist attacks and there are bullet marks at the bar.

Walk behind the Taj in the evenings and you can smell the mouth watering aroma of kebabs being cooked on coal at “Bade Miya”. This road side restaurant has become a Mumbai institution and so has the small Middle Eastern restaurant of “Bagdhadi” next to it.

Colaba has a large gated colony for only Parsi/Zorastrian residents called Cusrow Bagh. There are an estimated 100,000 Parsis in the world of which 60,000 to 70,000 live in Mumbai. This small, prosperous community came to India from Persia/Iran almost 1,200 years ago. Famous Parsis include the Tatas, Godrej, Shapoorji Palonji, Wadia, Freddy Mercury, Zubin Mehta, Homi Bhabha, Sam Manekshaw, Shiamak Davar, Boman Irani, Rohinton Mistry, Dadabhai Naoroji, Soli Sorabjee, Fali Nariman, etc.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Many buses from Colaba to Regal, Churchgate, VT.

6] KALA GHODA, JEHANGIR ART GALLERY, MUMBAI UNIVERSITY, BOMBAY HIGH COURT, OVAL MAIDAN

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LANDMARKS: Jehangir Art Gallry, Museum Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, David Sassoon Library, Elphinstone College, Army and Navy Buildings, Mumbai University, Rajabhai Tower, Bombay High Court

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 1.2 km. Walk North from Regal. Turn left at Kala Ghoda and walk North along Oval until main road (Veer Nariman Road).

OF INTEREST: North of Regal is one of Mumbai’s oldest art galleries, Jehangir Art Gallery. This area is called Kala Ghoda, and along with Colaba, it is the art gallery district of Mumbai. Do visit the galleries in this area to get a flavor of Indian art.

Every year in February, Kala Ghoda is the venue of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival which is Mumbai’s largest street festival, which has plays, movies, paintings, visual art, street art, street performances, children’s workshops, literary events, book readings, literary discussions, concerts, etc.

Just opposite Jehangir Gallery are three amazing Britesh era buildings – Elphinstone College, David Sassoon Library and Army and Navy Building.

From Kala Ghoda, turn left to “Oval Maidan” which is a large open Oval shaped ground. Along the Oval are two large Gothic structures. The first is the Mumbai University which has a large clock tower, called Rajabai Tower. Rajabai Tower is modeled on the Big Ben in London. Notice the beautiful stained glass windows in Rajabai Tower and the lovely spiral staircases of the university building.

Next to the University is the Gothic structure of the Bombay High Court.

7] FLORA FOUNTAIN, FORT, HORNIMAN CIRCLE, TOWN HALL, RBI

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LANDMARKS: Flora Fountain, Jai Maharashtra, Oriental Building, HDFC Building, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Bombay House (HQ of Tata Group), Horniman Circle Garden, St Thomas Cathedral, Town Halll (also called “Asiatic Library”), Reserve Bank Of India (RBI), Government Mint,

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 1.5 km. From the Bombay High Court turn right to Flora Fountain.

OF INTEREST: The primary attraction of this place is the beautiful British era architecture which is mainly of the neo–Gothic and Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. Fort (also called Flora Fountain because of the statue in the center, and Hutatma Chowk) is the center of activity in South Mumbai with roads from the two main stations (VT/CST and Churchgate) converging here.

In the middle of the road are two statues – one of a girl in a fountain (Flora Fountain after the Roman Goddess of flowers, “Flora”) and the other of a Martyr with a flame (“Hutatma Chowk” memorial). All around are building that pre-date to British rule. There is an old world charm to this place. Among the stunning buildings around Flora Fountain are the Oriental Building, HSBC Building, Central Telegraph Office, Bombay House, St Thomas Cathedral.

Flora Fountain and most places in a radius of 1.6 km (1 mile) around it is a business district. There is a hustle and bustle about this place on a regular working day. Feel the excitement and pace of Mumbai and watch Mumbai residents rush about their work.

Look to the south and you will notice a tall cream building in the shape of a semi-arc. This is the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which is the oldest stock exchange in Asia.

Walking along the path shown in the map, you will reach Horminan Circle which has a charming park in its center. The arched Italian Gothic buildings on opposite sides of Horniman Circle remind one of similar buildings in London and Edinburgh. Observe the interesting statues on each arch. Near the circle is the St Thomas Cathedral. Step inside to escape the heat and be stunned by the exquisite statues and plaques in this incredible church. On the other side of the Horminan Circle are steps that lead up to the Asiatic Library (“Town Hall”). Hindi movie fans are sure to recognize this building from many Hindi films. Horniman Circle is the location of the first Starbucks store in India.

North of the Asiatic Library is the impressive building of the Reserve Bank Of India (RBI). With its massive doors, this imposing building does look like a secure bank. Opposite the RBI is a tall white building which is the new RBI building and the compound of the Indian Mint where Indian coins are made and gold is purified.

East of this area is “Ballard Estate” which has some of the most beautiful old British era office buildings in Bombay. This is an office area and it gets deserted at night. Since the streets are empty at night, which is an oddity for Mumbai, film units like to shoot here at night. Hindi movie buff may recall movies which feature Ballard Pier. Beyond Ballard Pier are the docks. Most of the Eastern sea coast of Mumbai is docks. Mumbai has a natural sea port. Some of the docks are naval defense docks. Entry to the docks is restricted.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Many buses available.

8] HERITAGE MILE, P M ROAD, D N ROAD

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LANDMARKS: Bombay Store, Strand Book Stall, Handicraft Khadi Bhandar, Vatcha Agiary, Eruchshaw Building, Sterling Cinema, New Empire Cinema

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 1.2 Km

OF INTEREST: Mumbai’s “Heritage Mile” starts from Flora Fountain (Fort), moves along Dadabhai Naoroji Road (D N Road, formerly known as Hornby Road) to Victoria Terminus Station (also called Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus) and ends at Mumbai’s busiest wholesale market, Crawford Market. The “Heritage Mile” is a beautiful showcase of British era architecture. The “Heritage Mile Association” is a citizen’s association whose objective is to promote regeneration of the area and restore the heritage character of D N Road.

Pherozeshah Mehta Road (P M Road) and D N Road (Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road) are busy commercial districts of Mumbai. Explore British colonial facades in this 19^th century road. The buildings of note on D N Road are Vatcha Agiary, which is a Parsi fire temple with Assyrian statues and architecture (Note: Non-Parsis are not allowed in the Agiary); J.N.Petit Public Library; Eruchshaw Building.

The architecture of buildings in South Bombay has strong influence of “British Gothic”, “Victorian”, “Indo-Saracenic” (Mughal and Indian influence) and “Art Deco” styles of architecture.

Some of these buildings may seem decrepit; this is because these buildings are labeled as heritage structures and they require special permissions for renovation work. Also, Bombay has an antiquated rent act which has not allowed old landlords to increase rent in the last 30-40 years. Some of the offices in these buildings pay a paltry rent of Rs 100-200 per month ($4-6 or GBP 2-3).

There are small street vendors on both sides of the road trying to entice visitors to buy the latest pirated movie, software and playstation games. Many of these street vendors also sell electronic items which should be avoided. Opposite the Citibank branch is a slightly run down looking shop that stretches across an entire building. This is the Khadi Gram Udyog Bhavan which sells “Khadi” (hand woven cloth popularized by Mahatma Gandhi) and Indian handicraft made by Indian artisans. This is a good place to buy an authentic Indian souvenir. “Bombay Store” on Pherozeshah Mehta Road also has authentic Indian handicraft souvenirs.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Many buses ply on this road

9] VICTORIA TERMINUS (VT or CST), BMC HEADQUARTERS

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LANDMARKS: Victoria Terminus Station (VT), Bombay Muncipal Corporation (BMC) Headquarters, General Post Office (GPO), Azad Maidan, Times of India Building,

OF INTEREST: The majestic Victoria Terminus Station (VT) (also called Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus – CST) is the MOST STUNNING building in Mumbai. Victoria Terminus is an UNESCO World Heritage Site which was built in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

British architect Frederick William Stevens designed the Victorian Gothic styled VT station which also has Indian architecture influences. The main VT building is a “C” shaped structure with a courtyard in the center. At the center of VT is a massive octagonal ribbed dome which is built without centering. The dome is topped by a statue of a woman, symbolizing “Progress” with a torch in her right hand and a wheel in her left hand. At the eight corners of the dome are gargoyles ready to leap out. VT has beautiful arches, spires, stained glass and windows. All around the outside of the station are interesting and intricate statues, carvings, metal work and sculptures. At the main gate is a statue of a lion (representing Britain) and a tiger (representing India).

VT/CST station caters to both local and outstation trains. This is among the busiest stations in India and the world.

Opposite the VT station is the second most beautiful building in Mumbai, the headquarters of Mumbai’s Municipal Corporation (BMC – Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). This is another Gothic masterpiece designed by British architect Frederick William Stevens. This is a V Shaped structure with a tall tower covered with a central dome. There is a winged statue which represents ‘Urbs prima in Indis’ (the first city of India). At the entrance of the building is an impressive bronze statue of Sir Pherozshah Mehta who was a renowned lawyer, municipal commissioner of Bombay and 4 time president of Bombay municipality. Just like the CST, the BMC HQ has stunning and intricate carvings, statues, sculptures, arches, stain glass, windows and domes.

Behind the BMC HQ is the office of one of India’s oldest (founded 1838) newspaper, The Times of India.

Opposite VT and to the left of the BMC HQ is a large playground with cricket pitches on it. This is the famous Azad Maidan where Mumbaikars play India’s favorite game of cricket. There is one exclusive patch of green which belongs to Bombay Gymkhana club which is among the oldest gymkhana/clubs in Mumbai. In addition to a game of cricket one may also see a game of rugby being played here.

Just behind VT Station is the General Post Office (GPO). Step inside its cool interiors where a large round structure with multiple windows dispenses Indian postal paraphernalia.

10] CRAWFORD MARKET – WHOLESALE MARKET

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LANDMARKS: JJ Flyover, JJ School of Arts, Mahatma Phule Market/Crawford Market, Mangaldas Market, Jama Masjid, Mumbadevi Temple, Police Headquarters.

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 0.8 Km from VT station

OF INTEREST: Crawford Market is Mumbai’s main wholesale market. It’s a terrific place to get a bargain. Expect narrow lanes, large crowds, noise, dirt, street shops, hawkers, pollution and above all great bargains. In short, have a great Indian bazaar experience. Different streets specialize in different goods (for example, toys, hardware, stationary, decorative items, paints, electrical items, cloth, machinery, etc).

Near Crawford market is the Mumbadevi temple whose main deity, “Mumbadevi”, is the patron Goddess of Mumbai. The word Mumbai is derived from her name.

On the corner of Crawford Market is the JJ School of Arts, which is Mumbai premier art institute.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Lots of buses from D N Road

11] METRO, AZAD MAIDAN, CROSS MAIDAN, CHURCHGATE

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LANDMARKS: Metro cinema, Kayani restaurant, St Xaviers College, Azad Maidan (ground), Cross Maidan (ground), Fashion street, Bhika Behram Well

DISTANCE & DIRECTIONS: 2 Km. Walk west from Crawford Market.

OF INTEREST: From Crawford market, walk west along the Lokmanya Tilak Road to Metro cinema. At the junction of Metro visit “Kayani” restaurant which is a typical “Irani” restaurant. Notice the quaint decor and the interesting menu. From Metro, turn south to the Mahatma Gandhi Road (M G Road). This shaded road with large trees on both sides is also called “Fashion Street” because of a large number of street stalls that sell clothes. On the left hand side of M G Road is Azad Maidan (Ground), Bombay Gymkhana and on the right hand side is the Cross Maidan. Many of Mumbai’s cricketers have honed their skills on these grounds.

At the junction where M G Road meets Veer Nariman Road (via Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Marg) is the Bhika Behram Well which is a Heritage 1 Parsi holy well. Only members of the Parsi and Irani community can enter this complex.

Walk west along Veer Nariman Road to reach Churchgate station from where this adventure started.

OTHER TOURIST SITES – MALABAR HILL, CHOWPATTY, BANGANGA

Other tourist sites in South Bombay include the sandy beaches of Chowpatty, the posh locality of Malabar Hills where the Hanging gardens are situated which give a panoramic view of South Mumbai and the holy water pond of Banganga at the tip of Walkeshwar. South Mumbai also has interesting places like Haji Ali, Mahalaxmi Temple, Babulnath Temple, Race Course, Dhobhi Ghat, etc.

NOTE: In this article, the walking tour itinerary starts and ends at Churchgate; but one can start the tour from any of the points mentioned in the article. All along the route public transport in the form of BEST buses (Red single and double-decker buses) and Taxis (Black and Yellow) are easily available. Public transport in Mumbai is incredibly cheap. So if you do not feel like walking, hop onto a bus. Most of the route mentioned is covered by Special Bus SPL 1 and SPL 2 (Churchgate to Nariman Point to Regal to VT Station to Churchgate). At the cost of just Rs 10 (20 cents) most of the sites can be covered by these two buses. Additional Tips for Tourist Visiting Bombay.

 
 
RELATED ARTICLES:

Tips for Tourist Visiting Mumbai
 

Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway is from Ghatkopar in the North to P D’Mello Road and Museum/Fort in South Mumbai. Eastern Freeway has NO TRAFFIC SIGNALS and bypasses 28 signals.

NOTE: Only Cars, SUVs and Buses are allowed on the Eastern Freeway. Scooters, Motorcycles, Bikes, Autos, 3-wheelers and multi-axle vehicles are NOT ALLOWED on the Eastern Freeway.

Entry and Exit Points on Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway

(Please view below - Detailed Google Map of Eastern Freeway)

Map of Eastern Freeway Mumbai

Please click here to view Eastern Freeway, Mumbai Map in a larger map.

Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway Road

Eastern Freeway is divided into 3 main sections (please see Eastern Freeway Map):

1. Ghatkopar To Panjarpol (Chembur) Link Road: Elevated 4 lane Bridge from Indian Oil Nagar on Ghatkopar Mankhurd Link Road to Panjarpol (Shivaji Chowk Circle in Chembur) crossing Ashok Nagar, Gautam Nagar, Deonar Abattoir. Distance = 2.5 km
2. Anik To Panjarpol (Shivaji Chowk, Chembur) Link Road (APLR): 8 lane concrete road along the ground from Panjar Pol at Chembur’s Shivaji Chowk to Anik (near Wadala, Antop Hill), via BARC hill (2 tunnels) to. Distance = 5.0 km.
3. P D’Mello Road To Anik (near Wadala): Elevated 4 lane Bridge from Anik (near Wadala, Antop Hill) to P D Mello Road outside Princess Dock (“Orange Gate” near Wadi Bunder and S V Patel Road). This is the SECOND LONGEST BRIDGE IN INDIA. Distance = 9.3 km.

Detailed Route of Eastern Freeway Road in Mumbai

1] Ghatkopar To Panjarpol Link Road On Eastern Freeway

• This segment of the Eastern Freeway will become operational in December, 2013.
• The Entry / Exit point of Eastern Freeway is near Indian Oil Nagar (Jijibhai Bhosale Marg) on the Ghatkopar – Mankhurd Link Road. This Start/End of the Eastern Freeway is only 1 Km away from the Eastern Express Highway at Ghatkopar.
• From Ghatkopar a new 4 lane Eastern Freeway bridge passes Gautam Nagar and Ashok Nagar. The bridge Ends/Starts at  Pranjol at the Shivaji Chowk in Chembur.
• Other entry/exit ramps are at  Govandi and Panjarpol.
• Total Distance = 2.5 km

2] Anik Panjarpol Link Road (APLR) On Eastern Freeway

• A new 8 lane Eastern Freeway concrete road is built from Shivaji Chowk (Panjar Pol) circle in Chembur to Anik near Wadala. Route of APLR Starts / Ends at Panjarpol at Shivaji Chowk circle in Chembur, passes Tata Power Colony, passes 2 tunnels near BARC, passes between RCF and Bharat Petroleum and Ends / Starts at Anik (near Antop Hill, Wadala).
• This new road is along the ground. There are two 505 meter tunnels which pass through the hills near BARC. Both these tunnels have 4 lane concrete roads passing through.
• Exit and entry points are at Anik (Bhakti Park), Mysore Colony and Shivaji Chowk, Chembur (Panjarpol, R K Studios). 
• Total Distance = 5.0 km

3] Anik To P D’Mello Road On Eastern Freeway

• Starting / Ending at Anik near Wadala and Antop Hill, this section of the Eastern Freeway starts with a 0.7km bridge over Salt pans until MbPT’s Pipe Line Gate.  From Pipeline Gate a new 4 lane Elevated Bridge (2nd longest in urban India) passes along Antop Hill, Wadala, Sewri, Raey Road, Dockyard Road, Mazgaon Dock, Mazgaon, Wadi Bunder. The Exit/Entry point of the Eastern Freeway bridge is Orange Gate (Princess Dock) on P D Mello Road.
• There is an Entry ramp at Reay Road, an Exit ramp at Mumbai Port Road (near Nawab Tank Road) and an entry + exit ramp near Sewri Railway Station.
• Large part of the 4 lane bridge is built over Mahul Road, which is the primary feeder road to Mumbai’s ports.
• Total Distance = 9.3 km

4] Eastern Freeway from P D’Mello Road to VT, Fort and Museum

• From P D Mello to travel to VT/CST, Fort and Museum (Regal), continue along the straight P D’Mello Road. This is the road that runs parallel to the JJ Flyover and is behind CT/CST station. This road crosses Carnac Bunder and Frere Road and ends near the GPO and CST/VT Station (Back side). 
• Continue straight along the Shahid Bhagat Singh Road up to Museum, crossing Mint, RBI, Asiatic Society (Town Hall) on the way.

Information on Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway

• Eastern Freeway will reduce travel time from Museum (Colaba) to Ghatkopar to 25 – 30 minutes from 90 minutes.
• The three part, 16.8 Km Eastern Freeway has NO TRAFFIC SIGNALS and is TOLL FREE. The Eastern Freeway bypasses 28 traffic signals and this will drastically reduce the time taken to travel from South Mumbai to Wadala, Antop Hill, Chembur, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar, Navi Mumbai and Thane. The Mumbai Monorail and Eastern Freeway will reduce the traffic load on the North-South arterial Dr Ambedkar Road (Sion to Dadar to Lalbaug) and Sir J J Flyover.
• 2-Wheeler, 3-Wheeler and multiple-axle vehicles are NOT ALLOWED on the Eastern Freeway.
• Motorist exiting the Eastern Freeway at P D’Mello Road can reach VT/Fort/Museum by continuing straight on PD Mello Road, which runs parallel to the JJ Flyover until GPO and VT Station. From there motorist can continue straight along the Shahid Bhagat Singh Road until Museum/Regal.
• The 9.3 Km bridge from PD Mello Road to Anik is the second largest urban bridge in India.
• The 75 feet Eastern Freeway bridge at Shivaji Chowk (Chembur) is the tallest bridge in India. It is designed to accommodate future Metro train viaducts.
• Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway is made up of 346 pillars, 1,647 span segments, each weighing 75 tons. It is designed to withstand earthquakes measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale
• 20 new BEST Bus services will operate on the Eastern Freeway.
• This is the first major land road in Mumbai in many decades created by the Govt of Maharashtra and it is one of the many infrastructure projects that will transform Mumbai in 2013 – 2014.
• The Eastern Freeway will play an important role in dispersing traffic to the North and South of Mumbai once the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) Bridge (Sewri with Nhava) is constructed.

Cost of the Eastern Freeway and Reasons For Delays

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is the government agency responsible for the funding and construction of the Eastern Freeway.

When first envisaged, the cost of Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway was Rs 341 crore. In 2008, the cost was revised to Rs 531 crore. It is now estimated that the cost of the East Freeway is Rs 1,140 crore.

In addition to cost escalations, the project has been delayed by 3 years. The reasons for the delay in constructing the Eastern Freeway are:

• Rehabilitation of displaced people on P D’Mello Road, APLR and between Panjrpol – Ghatkopar took longer than expected.
• In July, 2012, 13 concrete segments of the Eastern Freeway collapsed, killing 2 workers. Work was stopped while MMRDA investigated the cause of the collapse. MMRDA eventually fined the contractor, Simplex Infrastructure. 
• The underground utilities maps were incorrect, leading to delays.
• Environment clearances, especially for the bridge over Wadala Salt pans and the stretch near Ghatkopar took time.

Future Plans For Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway

In the next phase, MMRDA will explore whether the Eastern Freeway can be extended from Museum/Regal to Nariman Point using a tunnel.

MMRDA will also explore whether the Eastern Freeway can be connected to the Borivali-Nariman Point Coastal Road. This will create a Ring Road around Mumbai.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• New Roads, Metro, Monorail, Bridges, Infrastructure in Mumbai.
• Mumbai Metro 1: Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro

New infrastructure in Mumbai includes Metro, Monorail, Eastern Freeway, Roads (Sahar, SCLR), Flyovers (MIlan, Amar Mahal), Trans Harbor Link, etc. Many of these projects will complete in 2013-2014 and will drastically improve Mumbai city.

New Road, Metro, Rail, Infrastructure in Mumbai

New Mumbai Infrastructure Projects Completing in 2013 – 2014

1] MUMBAI EASTERN FREEWAY

Completely new 16.8 Kms Eastern Freeway has 3 parts (please refer to Eastern Freeway Map):

1. Ghatkopar to Chembur (Panjarpol at Shivaji Chowk). Distance = 2.5 Km.
2. Panjarpol to Anik (near Wadala and Antop Hill). Distance = 5.0 Km.
3. Anik (Wadala, Antop Hill) to South Mumbai (P D’Mello Road, Wadi Bunder, CST, Museum). Distance = 9.3 Km.

Mumbai’s Eastern Freeway is the first major land road in decades. It will drastically reduce travel time from North East suburbs to South Mumbai. 

There are NO TRAFFIC SIGNALS on the Eastern Freeway and it will BYPASS 28 SIGNALS. Eastern Freeway is FREE,  with NO TOLL. The 9.3 Km PD Mello to Anik Freeway Flyover is the SECOND LONGEST FLYOVER IN INDIA.

• April, 2013: the Eastern Freeway will open from P D’Mello to Anik and from Anik to Panjar pal (only 4 lanes).
• August, 2013: Eastern Freeway will be opened, from Panjrpol (Chembur) to Ghatkopar Mankhurd Link Road and the balance 4 lanes from Anik to Panjarpol.

The Freeway at P D Mello Road starts/ends at Princess Dock’s Orange Gate, which is at the intersection of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road and Wadi Bunder. The Eastern Freeway ends/starts at Indian Oil Nagar on the Ghatkopar Mankhurd Link Road close to the Eastern Express Highway. Most of the freeway is on elevated bridges with one section from Anik to Panjorpol Link Road (APLR) along the ground passing through 2 new tunnels in the BARC hills.

Visit this link for Map and Route of the Eastern Freeway.

2] VERSOWA – ANDHERI – GHATKOPAR METRO RAIL

The 11.4 Km Versowa to Andheri to Saki Naka to Ghatkopar Metro will start in December, 2013. The Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro (VAG) is the first line in the new Mumbai Metro Rail Network or Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS). As part of MRTS, Mumbai will have 8 Metro Lines spread over 146 Kms by 2021.

The 12 Metro stations on the new Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar Metro Rail are Versova, D.N. Nagar, Azad Nagar, Andheri, Western Express Highway, Chakala, Airport Road, Marol Naka, Saki Naka, Subhash Nagar, Asalpha, Ghatkopar.

Travel time from Versova to Ghatkopar will be only 21 minutes. Initially, Metro train will have 4 AC coaches. All Metro One stations have been designed to accommodate 6 coaches. Peak frequency of Metro One train will be 3 minutes, reducing to an average of 3.5 minutes during non-peak.

The first Metro line is built and operated by Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), which is a consortium of Reliance Infrastructure (69% share), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) (26% share) and Veolia Transport RATP Asia (France) (5% share). For the first 5 years, Veolia Transport RATP Asia will be responsible for operations and maintenance of the Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar (VAG) Metro Corridor.

3] MUMBAI MONORAIL CHEMBUR TO WADALA

The first phase of Mumbai Mono rail from Chembur to Wadala (7 stations) will start operations from May 2013.

7 Monorail stations on the 8.26 Km stretch are Chembur (on Ramakrishna Chemburkar [RC] Marg near Municipal Pool and Fine Arts Society),  V N Purav ( where it meets R C Marg at Chembur Naka), Fertilizer Township (near RCF, Chembur Vasahat and RJK College on RC Marg), Bharat Petroleum (near Sai Baba Hospital, BP and RCF on RC Marg), Mysore Colony (between BP and RCF), Bhakti Park and Wadala Monorail Depot.

Initially 6 rakes will run at a frequency of 9 minutes. Timing of Mumbai Monorail is from 5:00 am to 12:00 midnight. Ticket cost for Mumbai Monorail is between Rs 11 and Rs 30. Journey time from Chembur to Wadala is 19 minutes.

Each train has 4 interconnected coaches/rakes. Each coach can seat 18 and 124 can stand. Trains are in 3 colors – Pink, Green and Sky Blue. Mumbai Monorail has a top speed of 80 Km per hour, but will run between 30 to 40 Km per hour.

The second phase of 11.28 Km Mumbai Monorail is from Wadala Depot to Jacob Circle via Dadar, Lower Parel, Chinchpokli. The 12 stations (including Wadala), will be completed by March 2014. It will take 25 minutes from Wadala to Jacob Circle.

The 19.54 Mumbai Monorail is the WORLD’S THIRD LONGEST MONORAIL, after Chongqing Monorail (China) and Osaka Monorail (Japan). The Rs 2,990 crore Mumbai Mono Rail is owned by MMRDA and is built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Scomi Engineering of Malaysia. L&T and Scomi can operate the Monorail until 2029. Government of Maharashtra plans to construct 9 Monorail routes in and around Mumbai. The original deadline to complete Mumbai’s and India’s first Monorail was April, 2011, but the project was delayed due to land acquisition reasons. Construction started in January, 2009.

The reason Monorail was selected for Mumbai over Metro or conventional rail network is because it requires less space to run trains (narrow Guideway Beam), it is cheaper to construct than a Metro, it is quicker to construct and it makes less noise. Hence for a crowded city like Mumbai, the Monorail makes sense.

4] SAHAR ELEVATED ACCESS ROAD

The 2.15 Km Sahar Elevated Access Road (SEAR) connects the busy Western Express Highway to Terminal 2 (T2) of Mumbai’s Sahar International Airport (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport). The first phase of the SEAR project will be opened in April, 2013 and the second phase will be completed in September, 2013.

Sahar Elevated Access Road has six lanes and consists of a flyover (1050 metres), a tunnel (98 metres), 3 underpasses (total of 100 metres), ramps (261 metres), ground level road (641 metres) and a pedestrian underpass (48 meters). In addition there are 4 ramps at the Sahar Airport which are the Entry/Exit points for the Sahar Elevated Access Road.

There are 2 Entry/Exit points to SEAR from the Mumbai Western Express Highway. From South Mumbai the entry point is 0.5 Km from the road that leads to the domestic Santa Cruz airport. From North Mumbai, the entry/exit point to SEAR is just 0.3 Km from the Current junction of Western Express Highway and Sahar Road.

The Sahar Elevated Access Road (SEAR) is developed by MMRDA as part of the “Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project” (MUIP). The Rs 287 Crores SEAR project is funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). L&T is the contractor. Work on the new Sahar Road started in January 2008. The original deadline was May, 2011, but the project’s revised deadline is September, 2013. The SEAR project was delayed because of the restrictions imposed by the Airport authorities, consideration for the heavy traffic on Western Highway and because of the relocation of families at Rajaramwadi, Bamanwada, Ambedkar Nagar, Sambhaji Nagar.

5] SANTACRUZ CHEMBUR LINK ROAD (SCLR)

Road connectivity between East Mumbai to West Mumbai has always been a problem. The 6.45 Km Santacruz – Chembur Link Road (SCLR), which connects Eastern and Western Express Highways, will go a long way in solving this problem.

The Start/End of the 6 lane SCLR on the Western Express Highway (WEH) is Dr Hans Bhugra junction near BKC and Kalina. From here the SCLR continues East along CST Road where it crosses the Mithi River at Kapadia Nagar. From here a new bridge crosses LBS Road, Netaji Nagar, Kurla Depot, Buddha Nagar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Tilak Nagar and finally reaches Amar Mahal Junction (near Chembur) on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH).

The SCLR started in 2003 and as yet it is not clear when it will be completed. Likely completion date is March, 2014. The SCLR project is an example of the difficulties that government agencies face in building infrastructure in Mumbai. It also  shows the poor execution capabilities of government agencies such as MMRDA (financier of SCLR along with World Bank) and MSRDC (executer of the SCLR – Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd).

6] MILAN SUBWAY RAIL OVER BRIDGE

New 700 meter road bridge over Milan Subway between Santacruz and Vile Parle Stations. Starting on PV Avasare Marg in Santacruz West (50 meters from SV Road near Rizvi Park), the new Milan rail over bridge will cross the Western Railway tracks where the current Milan Subway is located. The Milan Subway bridge will end on the Western Express Highway service road between Santacruz East and Vile Parle East.

The section over the railway tracks is a 160 meter long steel girder bridge, which is at a height of 15 meters. This is the longest single span steel girder bridge over railway tracks in Mumbai. There is no columns or support along the 160 meters. It covers 7 rail tracks and 2 proposed tracks.

Work on the 2 lane Milan Subway Rail Over Bridge started in January, 2008 and it was expected to end in 18 months. The Milan rail bridge will finally open in May 2013. The bridge has been delayed because of changes in design and the rehabilitation of affected residents and businesses. The cost of the bridge has shot up from Rs 41.50 crore to Rs 83.74 crore. MMRDA is the overall owner of this project and J Kumar Infrastructure is the contractor.

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Mumbai Metro One’s 11.04 Km Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar (VAG) Metro corridor is Mumbai’s first Metro Rail Network. Phase 1 from Versova to Airport Road Station starts in September 2013. Full Metro line  from Versowa to Ghatkopar will open in Dec, 2013.

Map of the Versowa – Andheri – Ghatkopar Metro Rail Network

Please click here to view Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Mumbai Metro Railway Map in a large map

Stations on Versova Andheri Ghatkopar Mumbai Metro Rail Line

The 12 Metro stations on the Versowa – Andheri – Ghatkopar Mumbai Metro Line 1 are as follows:

Latest Ticket Fare For Mumbai Metro (Versova – Ghatkopar)

Mumbai Metro will offer commuters single ticket (with magnetic token), multiple tickets, monthly passes, smart cards (stored value cards) and tourist ticket.

1] Single Ticket Fare On Mumbai Metro 1 Railway (VAG)

Timing, Frequency, Capacity of VAG Metro Line 1

• At peak time, there will be a Metro train every 3 minutes.
• Travel time from Versova to Ghatkopar (W) is only 21 minutes.
• Average speed of Mumbai Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar Metro train is 33 Km per hour. Top speed is 80 Kmph.
• MMOPL has 16 trains with 4 coaches/cars in each train. All coaches are air-conditioned.
• Each 4 coach train has the capacity to carry 1,100 passengers.
• Later VAG Metro 1 trains will have 6 coaches with a capacity of 1,650 passangers.
• It is estimated that daily 600,000 commuters will use Versowa – Andheri – Ghatkopar Metro.
• The coaches for VAG Mumbai Metro 1 are made by Chinese firm CSR Nanjing.

Operator and Owner of VAG Mumbai Metro One

• Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar Metro Railway Corridor is also referred to as VAG Metro Line or Line 1 or Mumbai Metro One.
• The Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Mumbai Metro is constructed and operated by Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL).
• MMOPL is a partnership between Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (69% share) (part of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group), France’s Veolia Transport RATP Asia (5% share) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (26% share) (MMRDA).
• Mumbai Metro One’s Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar Corridor is the first Metro Line in the 146 Km Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) which is planned for Mumbai. Eventually, Mumbai will have 8 Metro lines.
• VAG Metro Line 1 is the first Metro project in India based on the “Public Private Partnership” (PPP) model.

Cost Escalation and Delays in Mumbai Metro Implementation

The final cost of the VAG Metro Line 1 is estimated at Rs 3,893 crore. The project was allotted to MMOPL in March 2007 by MMRDA. The original cost of the VAG Metro was Rs 2,356 crore.

VAG Metro Line 1 was to be completed by July, 2010. Mumbai’s first Metro will now be operational in December, 2013.

According to MMOPL, MMRDA is primarily responsible for the escalation in cost and delay in implementation. MMRDA was to acquire land for the project by December, 2008. Complete land for the project was handed over only in December, 2011.

In addition to land acquisition, other challenges in the construction of Mumbai’s first Metro rail network were unavailability of utility maps, construction in congested areas and construction of bridge over Mumbai’s Suburban rail network.

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• Complaint procedure against BEST Bus and Mumbai Taxi or Auto
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Image by Ramnath Bhat. Image licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

1. Ticket Price and Admission Cost For Adlabs Imagica

NOTE:

• Children under the age of 3 DO NOT NEED A TICKET at Adlabs Imagica. It’s FREE for them.
• Adult Admission Ticket (Full Ticket) is applicable for visitors over the age of 12.
• EXPRESS ticket allows visitor to directly access rides without waiting in queue.

2. Address, Map and Road Route to Adlabs Imagica

• Nearest Train Station to Imagica: Khopoli (10 Km)
• Nearest Airport to Adlabs IMagica: Mumbai (70 Km), Pune (90 Km)

3. Road Route from Mumbai to Adlabs Imagica

• From Mumbai travel to Navi Mumbai (Vashi, Palm Beach Road, Belapur, Kharghar, Kalamboli) and get onto the Mumbai Pune Expressway (NH4, Yashwantrao Chawan Express way).
• Exit the Mumbai-Poona Expressway at the Khalapur Toll Plaza (Khopoli Toll Naka). The Khalapur Toll Naka is on the left. Distance from start of the Mumbai Pune Express way, at Kalamboli (McDonald’s), to Khalapur/Khapoli exit, is 33.5 Km.
• 0.5 Km from the Expressway Khopoli Exit, the road splits into two. The North Road (left) goes to Khopoli and Khalapur towns. Take the South Road (Sharp right). This is the Khopoli – Pali Road (State Highway 92).
• To reach Adlabs Imagic travel straight south for 3.7 Km on the “Khopoli Pali” Road.

(Please view the above Road Map to Adlabs Magica)

4. Road Directions from Pune to Adlabs Imagica

• From Poona reach the Mumbai – Pune Expressway. Cross Urse/Talegaon Toll Naka on the Expressway.
• Next destination is Khopoli in the North. This can be reached in two ways.
• First Khopoli road route is to take the Lonavala Exit and travel to Khapoli on the old Mumbai – Pune Highway (NH47).
• Second (and better) Khopoli route is to Cross the Lonavala and Khandala Ghat Section on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and at the end of the ghat, as the road is reaching flat land, there is an exit to Khapoli on the left.
• Keep travelling West and cross Khopoli. Travel west until you reach Khapoli – Pali Road (State Highway 92). Hotel Shree Krishna is the landmark. Turn straight South on the Pali – Khopoli Road and Imagica is 4.0 Km away.
• Alternately, visitors from Pune can take a U-turn just before the Khalapur Toll Naka.

(Please view the above Road Map to Adlabs IMagica)

5. Key Highlights of Adlabs Imagica Theme Park (Khopoli)

• Adlabs Imagica is India’s Biggest International Standard Entertainment Theme Park (Amusement Park). It is an ideal Family Fun destination.
• Adlabs Imagica has India and Asia’s largest Roller Coaster (“Nitro”), 4D Simulation rides, Free Fall from 132 feet (equal to a 12 storey building), Boat Ride among Dinosaurs, Rolling Scream Machine at a height of 142 feet, Junior Roller coaster, Water Games, India themed attractions (Mr India), 360 degree Cinema Dome, Special effects, and much more. Rides and attractions at Adlab IMagica are among the best in the world.
• Imagica is located near Khopoli and Khalapur. Adlabs Imagica is close to Mumbai (70 Km) and Pune (85 Km); just off the Mumbai – Pune Expressway (NH 4).
• At 80 acres, Adlabs Imagica is not only bigger than other popular theme parks in Asia, but it also has more thrilling rides (21 attractions). By comparison, Universal Studio Singapore has only 49 acres and fewer rides (Universal Studios Hollywood is even smaller). Hong Kong Disneyland has only 55 acres and fewer rides. Hong Kong’s Ocean Park has only 42 acres and fewer rides.
• Adlabs Imagica has 21 rides (19 currently operational), 3 stages shows, 4 types of Street Performances, Street Entertainers, Comic Characters and lip smacking Food.
• Adlabs Magica is divided into 6 zones from all over the world – “India”, “Viva Europa” (Europe), “Arabia “ (Middle East), “Asiana” (Futuristic world), “Americana” (USA), “Jambo Africa” (Africa).

6. Best Rides for Adults, Older Kids at Adlabs Imagica

Nitro – India’s Largest Roller Coaster at Adlabs Imagica

“Nitro” is India’s (and Asia’s) largest roller coaster. Imagica’s “Nitro” is an amazing Floor-less Roller Coaster which has a maximum speed of 104.9 Km/Hr (65.2 mph) and a maximum height of 132 feet (40m or 13 storey high). In addition, Nitro has 5 full 360 degree inversions. Nitro is located at Adlabs Imagica’s “Americana” Zone. Not just India, but it is probably the biggest Roller Coaster in Asia. Nitro is manufactured by Switzerland based Bolliger & Mabillard, who invented the inverted roller coaster.

Scream Machine at Imagica Entertainment Park

This machine rotates and goes up at an angle of 120 degrees. To live up to its name, the Scream Machine climbs to a height of 142 ft, which is the equivalent of a 13 storey building. This ride is in the “Americana” Zone. Minimum Height for Scream Machine is 4.33 ft.

Gold Rush Express at Adlabs IMagica

“Gold Rush Express“is a big Roller Coaster in the “Americana” Zone. Visitors race down from a height of 20 meters in this exciting roller coaster. Minimum Height for Gold Rush Express is 4.00 ft. Children above 3.50 ft (approximately 5+ years) have to be accompanied by an adult.

D2 Dare Drop at Adlabs Imagica

This ride is only for the strong hearted. This is a straight vertical Free Fall from a height of 132 feet, which is the equivalent of falling from a 12 storey building. This ride is in the “Americana” Zone. Minimum Height for D2 Dare Drop is 4.00 ft.

“I For India” at Adlabs Imagica

Viewers rise high above the ground and view a dazzling film about India. Film is shot from a helicopter. The movie is shown on a 90 feet indoor auditorium in the “India” area of Adlabs Imagica. Minimum Height for “I For India” is 4.00 ft (approx 7.5 years).

Rajasaurus River Adventure at IMagica

This River Adventure consists of a Boat Ride, through the land of the dinosaurs. Enjoy the unexpected twists and turns and the many dinosaurs. Rajasaurus River Adventure is in the “Jambo Africa” Zone at Adlabs Imagica.

Deep Space at Adlabs Imagica

This frightening, adrenaline pumping roller coaster is housed in a massive dome. Unlike conventional rollercoaster that start climbing slowly and then accelerate, this monster speeds up from the word GO. Be prepared to be dazzled. Minimum Height for Deep Space is 4.50 ft. (Note: This roller coaster will be operational in the second half of 2013).

7. Imagica Rides and Attractions for Kids and Family

Mr India – The Ride at Adlabs IMagica

Relive the magic of “Mr India” in this 4D motion simulation ride. Meet Mogambo, Mr India, Seema, Calender, the cute kids and Toota Phoota the robot. Anil Kapoor and Sridevi have given their voice for this ride. This mix of motion, film and advanced simulation is in the “India” Zone. The Mr India Car has jet packs and water blasters. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.33 ft (aprox 4.5+ years) and should be accompanied by an adult.

Alibaba Aur Chalis Chorr at Adlabs Imagica

Board a vehicle which travels on rails and using laser guns, shoot at the 40 “Chor” who are terrorizing Gulabad. Minimum height of Child should be above 2.67 ft and should be accompanied by an adult.

Splash Ahoy! at Adlab Magica

What a fun way to get wet on a hot sunny day. Get onto a pirate boat that travels on rails in the water and splash water on others using a water gun. This boat trip is in the “Viva Europa” Zone. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.17 ft (3+ years) and should be accompanied by an adult.

Magic Carousel at Imagica Theme Park

Small kids will enjoy this colorful and brightly lit merry-go-round. Minimum Height for the Magic Carousel is 3.50 ft (approx 4.5 years).

Loch Ness Expplorers

Loch Ness Explorers get onto a log that travels through water, while trying to escape water splashed by the Loch Ness Monster. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.00 ft (3 years) and should be accompanied by an adult.

Tubbby Takes Off Merry Go Round at IMagica

Elephant Tubby Merry-Go-Round rises above the ground. This ride is in the “Viva Europa” Zone. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.17 ft (3+ years).

Cinema 360- Prince of the Dark Waters

“Prince of the Dark Waters “is an amazing 360 degree Dome film with a screen size of 3,100 sq ft. Viewers will experience the sensation of being immersed in water with mermaids. 6 Christie projectors project this tale on the screen. Minimum height for this attraction is 4.00 feet (approx 7 years). Kids should be accompanied by adults.

Save the Pirate at Magica

Children row boats to save a pirate. This boat ride is in the “Viva Europa” Zone. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.17 ft (approx 3 years).

Curse of Salimgarh at Adlabs Imagica

Walk through the creepy dungeons of Salimgarh. Be ready to be spooked. This adventure takes place in the “India” Zone of Imagica. Minimum height of Child should be above 2.67 ft and should be accompanied by an adult.

Bandits of Robin Hood Roller Coaster at Adlabs Imagica

“Bandits of Robin Hood” is Adlabs Imagica’s junior Roller Coaster (“Gold Rush Express“, “Nitro’ and “Deep Space” are the adult roller coasters). This rollercoaster is in the “Viva Europa” Zone. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.33 ft (4+ years) and should be accompanied by an adult.

Wrath of the Gods Show at Adlabs Imagic

This show is a mix of Special Effects, Multimedia and Live Theatre. This show is in the “India” Section. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.00 ft (3 years) and should be accompanied by an adult.

Mambo Chai Chama- Crazy Tea Cups

Spin around in giant tea cups. This mind boggling attraction is in the the “Jambo Africa” Section.

Bump It Boats Ride at Adlabs Imagica

This water sport is the water equivalent of Bumping Cars. Bump into a neighbor’s boat. This ride is in the “Viva Europa” Section. Minimum height of Child should be above 3.33 ft (4+ years) and should be accompanied by an adult.

8. Six Zones/Sections at Adlabs Imagica Theme Park

Imagica Theme Park has the following 6 Sections/Zones

1. India
2. Americana
3. Viva Europa
4. Asiana
5. Jambo Africa
6. Arabia

Stage Shows at Adlabs Imagica

• Blow Your Troubles Away With Neera: Every evening, Adlabs Imagica’s resident mermaid, Neera, appears at the lagoon in the center and sings her songs. The water fountains in the lagoon dance to the music.
• Focus To Fly!: Tubbby the elephant will tell stories to kids and then he will make them fly in the air.
• Electric Enigma: Every evening there will be a dazzling Laser show.

Street Entertainment at Adlabs’ Imagica

• Floating Baba: The Floating Baba can be found in the “Arabia” zone performing magic tricks.
• Flippers: Spectacular stunts performed in “Asiana” section.
• BoomBoxers: Boom Boxer performers at the “Americana” section will make visitors dance to their tune.
• Imagicarnival: Jugglers, clowns, magicians, performers, stilt walkers, cartoon characters, etc can been found all over the Adlabs Imagica amusement park.

Restaurants and Food at Adlabs Magica

The 6 restaurants at Adlabs Imagica are:

1. ZEZE Bar + Grill: This restaurant and bar has an tribal African theme. It has a live grill and barbeque.
2. Imagica Capital Indian Buffet Restaurant: Restaurant offers a buffet with food from all over India. This restaurant will be operational in a few weeks.
3. Imagica Capital Italian Restaurant: Delicious Italian food set in an Italian town setting. This is the only full service restaurant at Imagica (others are self-service). This restaurant will be operational in a few weeks.
4. Red Bonnet American Diner: Set in the American 60’s, food served is typical American (Burgers, Fries, Shakes, etc)
5. Roberto’s Food Coaster: Indian, Mexican, Italian and Asian food, which arrives on a moving roller coaster.
6. Arrmada Tapas Bar: Open air restaurant on the deck of a wooden ship.

9. Tips for Visitors and Tourist to Adlabs Imagica

• Since Imagica theme park is spread over 80 acres, a stroller/pram for children below the age of 4 is advisable. Expect to walk a lot. Strollers are also available on hire at Imagica.
• Adults and older kids, may wish to make a dash to the “Americana” Zone, which has the most exciting rides.
• Expect to sweat a lot. Visitors should ensure that they drink adequate quantities of water and fluids.
• A free shuttle service is available to transport visitors to attractions. Make use of this shuttle and give your feet a rest.
• Bags are not allowed in the park. Outside Food is not allowed in the park. Do not bother to get packed food, water bottles, etc in to the park. Only feed and fluids for infants are allowed.
• Carry a hat or cap to protect yourself from the sun. Preferably wear cotton/linen clothes on hot days. Wear sunglasses. Bring umbrellas, rain coats during the monsoon season.
• Wear comfortable footwear because you will walk a lot.
• There is a high probability that necklaces, bracelets, jewelry, mobile phones, loose change, wallets, spectacles, etc can drop off during rides. It is advisable to come to the entertainment park without expensive jewelry.
• Point and shoot cameras are allowed, but professional cameras and equipment (DSLR, tripod, detachable lens, etc) are not allowed.
• On days that it rains, it is advisable to check with park officials on whether rides will operate.
• Carry an extra change of clothes since some rides involve water (“Loch Ness Expplorers”, “Splash Ahoy”, “Save the Pirate”, “Bump It Boats”). There is a charge for lockers at the park.
• Wheel chairs are available at Adlabs Imagica Amusement Park. These are recommended for elderly visitors.
• Avoid rides immediately after consuming food.

Opening Time and Theme Park Timing of Imagica

Adlabs Imagica Opening Timing: 11:00 am

Adlabs Imagica Closing Timing:  9:00 pm (Rides stop at 8:00 pm)

10. Adlabs Water Park and Future Expansion at Adlabs Imagica

Adlabs Imagica is built in 3 phases.

1. Phase 1: Adlabs Imagica, with the international quality rides and shows, started operations from 18 April, 2013.
2. Phase 2:  Adlabs Imagica Water Park will become operational by early 2014. The Water Park will have 14 rides/attractions.
3. Phase 3: A 300 room hotel is under construction at Adlabs Imagica and is expected to open in December, 2013.

All these 3 phases will be spread over 110 acres of land. The promoters have an additional 190 acres (total 300 acres) for future expansion. The promoters of Adlabs Imagica, expect to receive 3 million visitors in the first full year of operation.

Promoters and Owners of Adlabs Imagica

Manmohan Shetty: Adlabs Imagica is built and operated by Manmohan Shetty’s Adlabs Entertainment Limited (AEL). Manmohan Shetty promoted “Adlabs Films Ltd” which was a film processing, film production, film distribution, film exhibition and cinema hall (under “Adlabs” and “IMAX” banner) company. “Adlabs Films” was sold to Anil Ambani in 2006 and was renamed “Reliance MediaWorks Ltd”.

To design, build and operate Imagica Entertainment Park, Shetty’s Adlabs Entertainment Ltd. has collaborated with American companies Attraction International, Sally Corporation and Contour Entertainment.

Imagic is self sustaining with it’s own small power plant, sewage treatment facility, a small dam and water treatment plant.

To break even financially, Manmohan Shetty’s Adlab’s Imagica Theme Park requires 1.75 million visitors a year.

Movies that Manmohan Shetty has produced/co-produced include Munnabhai MBBS, Gangajal, Rajneeti, Apaharan, Ardh Satya, Namastey London, Singh is Kinng, Johnny Gaddar, Waqt, Marigold, Taxi No.9211, Sarkar Raj, Bluffmaster, Chakra, Hip Hip Hurray, Holi, Tere Bin Laden, etc.

Manmohan Shetty started Walkwater Media Ltd in 2007. Walkwater Media is engaged in creating and producing content for films (“Tere Bin Laden”, “Rajneeti”, “Rita”), television programs (“Pratigya”).

Pooja Shetty Deora: Manmohan Shetty’s daughter is the Managing Director of Walkwater and Joint MD of Adlabs Imagica Ltd. She is married to Milind Deora, Congress MP and India’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (India). She hold a BSc degree from Purdue University, USA.

Aarti Shetty: Manmohan Shetty’s younger daughter is the Creative Head of Walk Water. She did a film direction course from New York University.

Total cost of Adlabs Imagica is Rs 16.5 Billion.

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16^th Lok Sabha (2014) Winners (MP) and Candidates from Mumbai’s six Lok Sabha constituencies are listed below. Profiles of Mumbai’s 16th Lok Sabha (2014 – 2019) winners/candidates, including their contact details, education, criminal records, political careers, family details and number of votes polled, are in the article.

Details of Winners, Candidates of Lok Sabha 16 (2014) from Mumbai

Polling for Mumbai’s 6 Lok Sabha seats will be held on 24 April, 2014, which is Phase 6 of the 2014 Indian Lok Sabha elections. Counting for Mumbai’s constituencies will be held on 16 May, 2014.

Mumbai South Lok Sabha 2014 Election: Info on Winner and Candidates

Mumbai South Lok Sabha Constituency consists of the following Legislative areas – 182. Worli, 183. Shivadi, 184. Byculla, 185. Malabar Hill, 186. Mumbadevi and 187. Colaba

In the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), Milind Deora of “Indian National Congress” (INC) was the winner having polled 2,72,411 votes (42.48%). His nearest rivals were Bala Nandgaonkar of Maharastra Navnirman Sena with 1,59,729 votes (24.91%), followed by Mohan Rawale of Shiv Sena with 1,46,118 votes (22.78%).

Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha 2014: Winning MP and Candidates

Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha  constituency consists of these Legislative Assembly constituencies - 172. Anushakti Nagar, 173. Chembur, 178. Dharavi (SC), 179. Sion Koliwada, 180. Wadala and 181.Mahim.

In the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), Eknath Gaikwad of “Indian National Congress” (INC) was the winner having polled 2,57,165 votes (43.00%). His nearest rivals were Suresh Gambhir of Shiv Sena with 1,81,524 votes (30.35%), followed by Shweta Parulkar of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 1,08,727 votes (18.10%).

Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha 2014: Info on Winner and Candidates

Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency consists of 167. Vile Parle, 168. Chandivali, 174. Kurla (SC), 176. Vandre East, 177. Vandre West and 175. Kalina, Legislative constituencies.

In the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), Priya Sunil Dutt of “Indian National Congress” (INC) was the winner having polled 3,19,352 votes (48.04%). Her nearest rivals were Mahesh Ram Jethmalani of BJP with 1,44,797 votes (21.78%), followed by Shilpa Sarpotdar of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 1,32,555 votes (19.94%).

Mumbai North West Lok Sabha 2014: Info on Winning MP and Candidates

Mumbai North West Lok Sabha  constituency consists of these Legislative Assembly constituencies - 158. Jogeshwari East, 159. Dindoshi, 163. Goregaon, 164. Versova, 165. Andheri West and 166. Andheri East.

Kamaal Rashid Khan is the Samajwadi Party candidate. He is an actor, producer, director.

In the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), Gurudas Kamat of “Indian National Congress” (INC) was the winner having polled 2,53,899 votes (35.91%). His nearest rivals were Gajanan Kirtikar of Shiv Sena with 2,15,484 votes (30.48%), followed by Shalini Thackeray of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 1,23,885 votes (17.52%).

Mumbai North Lok Sabha 2014 Election: Info on Winner and Candidates

Mumbai North Lok Sabha  constituency consists of these Legislative Assembly constituencies - 152. Borivali, 153. Dahisar, 154 Magathane, 160. Kandivali East, 161. Charkop and 162. Malad West.

In the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), Gurudas Kamat of “Indian National Congress” (INC) was the winner having polled 2,53,899 votes (35.91%). His nearest rivals were Gajanan Kirtikar of Shiv Sena with 2,15,484 votes (30.48%), followed by Shalini Thackeray of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 1,23,885 votes (17.52%).

Mumbai North East Lok Sabha 2014: Info on Winning MP, Candidates

Mumbai North East Lok Sabha  constituency consists of these Legislative Assembly constituencies - 155 Mulund, 156. Vikhroli, 157. Bhandup West, 169. Ghatkopar West, 170. Ghatkopar East and 171 Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar.

In the 15th Lok Sabha (2009), Sanjay Dina Patil of “Nationalist Congress Party” (NCP) was the winner having polled 2,13,505 votes (32.60%). His nearest rivals were Kirit Somaiya of BJP with 2,10,572 votes (32.15%), followed by Shishir Shinde of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 1,95,148 votes (29.79%).

Due to “El Nino”, rains during the 2014 Monsoon season in Mumbai (and India) are expected to be below normal. Listed below are:

1. High Tide Days in 2014 when Mumbai is at risk from flooding
2. Mumbai Lake Levels in 2014
3. El Niño and its impact on Mumbai/India
4. BMC Rainy Season Emergency Phone Numbers
5. Low Lying Areas in Mumbai at risk of flooding

High Tide Dates in 2014 Mumbai Monsoons that are a Flooding Risk

• In 2014, there are 23 days during Mumbai’s Monsoon season when high tide level will be over the danger mark of 4.5 meters. The maximum High Tide level of 5.0 meters will be on 14 July, 2014.
• Listed below are Mumbai Monsoon 2014 dates when the High Tide Levels in the Arabian Sea will be more than 4.5 metre. From a flooding perspective, these are the most dangerous or risky days during the 2014 Mumbai Rainy season.
• Excessive rain water in Mumbai is drained into the sea. When the Arabian Sea levels go over 4.50 metres, the BMC has to take a decision whether to close the storm drains to prevent sea water from entering into the city of Mumbai.
• If the Mumbai storm drains are closed on days when there is HEAVY RAIN and HIGH TIDE LEVELS are very high, then there is no outlet for rain water. This can cause floods in Mumbai.
• Mumbai residents are advised to be cautious on the High Tide dates and time listed below.

JUNE 2014: Dangerous High Tide Dates During Mumbai Monsoon

JULY 2014: High Tide Dates and Time that can cause Flood in Mumbai

AUGUST 2014: Dangerous High Tide and Flooding Days in Mumbai

SEPTEMBER 2014: Risky High Tide Dates During Mumbai Rainy Season

Mumbai Lake Levels in 2014 Mumbai Lakes Water Level as on 5 May, 2014

[Mcum = Million Cubic Metre]

Effect of 2014 El Nino on India (and Mumbai)

• El Niño occurs when the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean, mainly the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, increases by over 0.5°Celsius.
• When El-Nino occurs, India, South Asia, South-East Asia, Australia and Eastern Africa receive below average rainfall. On the other hand, Western South America and North America receives above average rains.
• The seven lakes that provide water to Mumbai may not fill up to capacity in case Mumbai’s rainfall is below average. This may lead to water cuts in the future.
• Typically El Nino starts between June and August, reaches its peak between December and April and fades away between May and July.
• Visit this link for further information on what is El Nino and its affect on India and its Economy.

BMC’s Disaster Management Cell and Ward-wise Telephone Numbers

• 108 is the BMC’s Disaster Management Cell’s contact number.
• During the Mumbai Monsoon Season, “Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation” (BMC) operates a special Disaster Management Cell. Also at the BMC ward level there are special telephone numbers set up for the Mumbai rainy season.
• The Disaster Management Cell handles rain related emergencies, such as open drains, broken trees, flooding, damaged roads, etc.
• In case of excessive flooding and rains, BMC issues caution and closure notice to the general public and education institutions, such as schools and colleges.

BMC Ward Telephone Numbers for Emergencies During Mumbai Monsoon

Mumbai’s Low Lying Areas that are at risk of Flooding in the Rains

As per BMC, there are 213 low laying areas in Mumbai that are at risk of flooding during Mumbai’s rainy season. Of these 80 low lying areas are in Mumbai city, 63 are in Mumbai’s Western suburbs and 70 are in the Eastern suburbs.

Listed below are some of Mumbai’s low-lying areas:

• Colaba, near Badhwar Park
• Cotton Exchange (Kalbadevi)
• Girgaon Khetwadi
• Napean Sea Road
• Keshavrao Khade Marg
• Grant Road
• Nana Chowk
• Tardeo
• Worli Naka
• Senapati Bapat Marg
• E Moses Road
• Mumbai Central
• Nagpada
• Pydhonie and Null Bazaar
• Saat Rasta, Jacob Circle (Mahalaxmi Station)
• N M Joshi Marg
• Lalbaug
• Byculla Station
• Kalachowkie Junction
• Albert Circle
• Hindmata to Bharatmata (Parel)
• Dadar Chowpatty
• Khar Danda
• Khar Subway
• Milan Subway (Santacruz)
• Kalina
• Andheri Subway
• SV Road Andheri Market to Amboli Naka
• JP Road Junction
• JVPD Circle
• Nirlon Company, Goregaon
• Malad Subway
• Dahisar Subway
• Kranti Nagar
• Dharavi
• Mahim LJ Road
• Sitladevi Temple Road
• Dadar Circle
• King’s Circle (Matunga)
• Sion
• Mahendra Park
• Ghatkopar
• Chembur, Shell Colony
• Deonar
• Kurla
• LBS Marg Kurla
• Surve Chowk
• Sanjay Nagar
• Sunder Park
• Jai Bharat Society
• Khar (W)
• JVPD scheme (Juhu)
• Four Bungalows (Versova)
• Seven Bungalows (Versova)
• Kandivali
• Shastri Nagar
• Sarvodaya Nagar

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Western Ghat Hills Stations, Near Mumbai, in the Rains
• Mumbai Monsoon Pictures
• Mumbai Lake Levels in 2013

IMAGES:

• “Heavy rains revisist Bombay” Image by Hitesh Ashar. Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0). Image has been altered. Original image at https://www.flickr.com/photos/asharism/30476937/in/photostream/
• “Monsoon clouds arriving in Mumbai” Image by Karthikndr. Image is taken from Wikimedia Commons. Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Image has been altered.

El Niño in 2014 – 2015 and its Effect on India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that there is a possibility of El Niño occurring in 2014-15 and this may adversely impact the South-West Monsoon.

Q] What is El Niño? How and Where does El Nino Occur?

• When the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean increases above the average, for a prolonged period of time, it is defined as “El Nino”. During El Nino, surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean increases by over 0.5° Celsius. “La Niña” is the reverse phenomenon; when the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean cools below the average temperature.
• El Niño and La Niña typically last for nine to twelve months, although they can even last up to four years.
• Usually El Nino starts to form between June and August. El Nino (and La Nina) usually reach their pinnacle between December and April and start to fade away between May and July.
• Typically El-Nino occurs in intervals of two to seven years. El Nino occurs more often than La Nina.
• El Niño is also known as “El Niño Southern Oscillation” (ENSO).

What is the impact of El Niño on India’s Monsoon Season & Economy?

• Effect of El Niño in India is that India may receive below normal rainfall. El Nino caused droughts in India in 2002, 2004 and 2009. Over half of the major droughts in India the last 140 years have coincided with El Nino (please see para on Historical Impact of El-Nino).
• In case 2014 rainfall is below normal, the “Kharif” (July to October) crop may suffer, leading to reduced food production, which in turn may lead to food inflation. Reduced agricultural activity has an effect on other aspects of the economy, especially India’s rural economy. Many Indian industries (textile, construction, power, etc) are dependent on water; hence El-Niño can have an adverse impact on the Indian economy.
• This example from previous El Nina years will give the readers some idea on the impact of El Niño on agriculture and food production – Pulses grown during the “Kharif” season are heavily dependent on rain. During the 2002, 2004 and 2009 El Niño years, Indian production of pulses during the “Kharif” season was lower by 14, 23 and 27 per cent respectively.
• Since El- Niño affects global rainfall, global output of food grains maybe impacted. This may increase food prices all over the world.
• Another effect of El Nino is that there is an increase in incidents of mosquito related diseases, such as malaria, dengue, etc.
• Globally, Western part of South America gets more rain and warmer weather during El Nino, whereas South Asia, South-East Asia, Eastern Africa and Australia receive less rain fall than average. 1997 – 1998 experienced the worst El Nino in recent years; it is estimated that 24,000 people died in climate related events related to the El-Nino.
• This is an example of how El-Nino in other parts of the world has an impact on India – India imports agricultural products, such as palm oil from South East Asia (especially Malaysia). If Malaysia experiences El Nino related drought, prices of agricultural produce, such as palm oil, may go up. This may also have an adverse impact on other commodity prices too. Prices of crops such as sugarcane, rice, coffee, wheat, etc, that are grown in large quantities in South Asia and South East Asia are expected to go up.
• Typically, La-Nina tends to be beneficial for India. 2009 – 2010 was an El Niño year which caused a below normal monsoon in India (23% below normal). 2010 – 2011 was a La Niña year, where the South-East monsoon was prolonged and India received above average rainfall.

How will the 2014 El Nino Effect Mumbai?

• If El Niño leads to reduced rains In Mumbai, the Mumbai lakes may not fill up to their capacity. This can lead to water cuts in the city of Mumbai.
• El-Nino tends to increase the incidences of mosquito related illnesses. Almost half of Mumbai’s population lives in slums, where sanitation conditions are not good. These factors increase the possibility of a Malaria or Dengue outbreak in Mumbai, during the Monsoon season.

Past Historical Impact of El Nino on Rainfall levels in India

In the 20^th and 21^st century there were 26 occurrences of El Nino -  1902-1903, 1905-1906, 1911-1912, 1914-1915, 1918-1919, 1923-1924, 1925-1926, 1930-1931, 1932-1933, 1939-1940, 1941-1942, 1951-1952, 1953-1954, 1957-1958, 1965-1966, 1969-1970, 1972-1973, 1976-1977, 1982-1983, 1986-1987, 1991-1992, 1994-1995, 1997-1998, 2002-2003, 2004-2005 and 2009-2010.

Historical data from the “Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology” shows the following:

• From 1870 to 2009, there have been 23 El Nino years when rainfall in India has been below the average. During this period, there have been only 5 El Nino years when rainfall has been above the average.
• From 1870 to 2009, there have been 20 La Nina years when rainfall in India has been above the average. During this period, there have been only 2 La Niña years when rainfall has been below the average.
• From 1870 to 2010 India had 24 major drought years – 1873, 1877, 1899, 1901, 1904, 1905, 1911, 1918, 1920, 1941, 1951, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 2002, 2004, 2009.
• Of these 24 drought years, 13 occurred during years that coincided with El Nino (1877, 1899, 1905, 1918, 1951, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1982, 1987, 2002 and 2009). Over half the times that India has experienced drought since 1870 have been in El Nino years.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Mumbai Monsoon 2014: Mumbai Lake Levels, Flood Risk High Tide Dates
• Western Ghat Hills Stations, Near Mumbai, in the Rains
• Mumbai Monsoon Pictures
• Mumbai Lake Levels in 2013

IMAGES:

• Dry river bed Darcha, HP: Image by Anks. Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). Image has been altered. Original image at https://www.flickr.com/photos/anks/2937505134/in/photostream/
• Drought in Karnataka: Image by Pushkarv. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons. Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Image has been altered.

Effective 28 June, 2014, the new Mumbai Suburban local train fare for Western, Harbour Line and Central Railway is as follows:

• SECOND CLASS SINGLE TICKET: No change in fare for travel up to 80 Km. 14.2% increase for distance over 80 Km.
• FIRST CLASS SINGLE TICKET: 14.2% increase in fare.
• MONTHLY SECOND CLASS PASS FARE: 14.2% increase in fare. Monthly local train pass = Cost of 15 Single tickets.
• MONTHLY FIRST CLASS PASS FARE: 14.2% increase in fare. Monthly First Class train pass = 4 times the cost of Second Class Pass.
• QUARTERLY SECOND AND FIRST CLASS SEASON PASS: 14.2% increase in fare. Mumbai’s Quarterly pass cost = 2.7 times the cost of Monthly Pass.
• HALF YEARLY SECOND AND FIRST CLASS SEASON PASS: 14.2% increase in fare. Mumbai’s Half-Yearly pass cost = 5.4 times the cost of Monthly Pass.
• YEARLY SECOND AND FIRST CLASS SEASON PASS: 14.2% increase in fare. Mumbai’s Yearly pass cost = 10.8 times the cost of Monthly Pass.

PLEASE NOTE: Mumbai’s Local Train ticket/pass fare is rounded to the closest value divisible by 5.

Mumbai Metro (Versova to Ghatkopar) Ticket Fare

The ticket fare for Mumbai’s first metro (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) is Rs 10 for the first month. There is a dispute between the promoters of Mumbai Metro, Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), and the state government. Once this dispute is resolved the final fare will be announced.

Mumbai Monorail – Latest Ticket Fare

• Commuters on Mumbai’s Monorail can buy either a Ticket or a Token. Cost of the Monorail ticket/token is as per the above table.
• No return journey ticket and token are issued.
• There is NO Monthly Pass on the Mumbai Monorail, but a Rs 150 Smart Card can be purchased. Rs 150 of the Mumbai Monorail Smart Card consists of Rs 100 as a refundable deposit and Rs 50 for travel.

Latest Ticket Fare For Mumbai Western Railway Local Suburban Trains

NOTE: Latest Mumbai Local Train Fares are effective from 28 June, 2014.

• Mumbai’s Western Railway (WR) Suburban Local Train daily transports 3,500,000 (35 Lac) commuters.
• In the 2013-2014 financial year, Mumbai’s Western Railway Suburban Service earned Rs 678.73 crore. It incurred an annual loss of 88 crores.
• Mumbai’s WR Suburban service has 2,500,000 (25 lac) season (monthly, quarterly, half yearly, yearly) pass holders.In 2013-2014, WR in Mumbai earned Rs 366 crore from sale of local season passes.

Mumbai Western Railway Suburban Local Fare for Single Ticket

Please click on below Tariff Card to VIEW ticket fare for ALL WESTERN RAILWAY STATIONS.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai Western Railway Local First and Second Class Season Pass

Mumbai Local Western Railway Monthly Second Class Season Pass

Please click on below Local Train Seasonal Pass Fare Chart for Monthly/Quarterly Pass fare for all Western Railway Suburban stations.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

NOTE: Second Class Monthly WR Season Pass = 15 times the cost of a Second Class Single Ticket

Mumbai Western Railway Local Monthly First Class Pass Cost

Please click on below chart for First Class Monthly Pass Fare on Western Railway Suburban Line.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai Western Railway Local Train Quarterly Pass

Cost of WR Quarterly Suburban Pass (both First and Second Class) = 2.7 times the cost of a Monthly Train Pass

Mumbai Western Railway Local Train Half-Yearly Pass Cost

Cost of WR Half-Yearly (6 Month) Suburban Train Pass (I and II Class) = 5.4 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Season Pass

Mumbai Western Railway Local Train Yearly Pass Cost

Cost of Yearly WR Local Train Pass for First and Second Class = 10.8 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Season Pass

Latest Fare For Mumbai Central Railway Suburban Trains

• Mumbai’s Central Railway (CR) Suburban Local Train daily transports 4,000,000 (40 Lac) commuters.
• In the 2013-2014 financial year, Mumbai’s Central Railway Suburban Service earned Rs 751.17 crore. It incurred an annual loss of 571 crores.
• Mumbai’s CR Suburban service has 3,000,000 (30 lac) season (monthly, quarterly, half yearly, yearly) pass holders.In Mumbai CR earned Rs 373.45 crore from the sale of local season passes.

Mumbai Central Railway Local Ticket Fare – CST (VT) to Karjat

Please click on below Tariff Cards to view Single Ticket Fare for CENTRAL RAILWAY STATIONS – CST (VT) to KARJAT.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Central Railway Local Train Season Pass – CST (VT) To Karjat

Central Railway Local Monthly Second Class Pass Tariff – CST To Karjat

 (Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Central Railway Local Monthly First Class Pass Tariff – CST To Karjat

Please click on the below fare chart for the latest First Class Monthly Pass Fare on Mumbai Central Railway from CST (VT) to Karjat.

 (Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai Central Railway (CST-Karjat) Suburban Quarterly Train Pass

Cost of CR (CST-Karjat) Quarterly Train Pass (both First and Second Class) = 2.7 times the cost of a Monthly Train Season Pass

Mumbai Central Railway (CST-Karjat) Local Train Half-Yearly Pass

Cost of CR (VT-Karjat) Half-Yearly (6 Month) Train Pass (I and II Class) = 5.4 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Pass

Mumbai Central Railway (CST-Karjat) Local Train Yearly Pass Cost

Cost of Yearly CR (CST-Karjat) Local Train Pass for First and Second Class = 10.8 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Season Pass

Mumbai Central Railway Local Single Ticket – CST To Kasara

Please click on below fare chart for latest cost of ticket on Mumbai’s Local Central Railway Trains, from VT (CST) to Kasara.

 (Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai CR Local Monthly Second Class Pass Fare – CST To Kasara

Please click on below fare chart for latest cost of Second Class Monthly Pass on Mumbai’s Local Central Railway Trains, from VT (CST) to Kasara.

 (Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai CR Local Monthly First Class Pass Fare – CST To Kasara

Please click on below fare chart for latest cost of Monthly First Class Train Pass on Mumbai Central Railway Suburban service from VT (CST) to Kasara.

 (Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai Central Railway (CST-Kasara) Suburban Quarterly Train Pass

Cost of CR (VT-Kasara) Quarterly Season Pass (both First and Second Class) = 2.7 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Pass

Mumbai Central Railway (CST-Kasara) Local Train Half-Yearly Pass

Cost of CR (CST-Kasara) Half-Yearly (6 Month) Season Train Pass (I and II Class) = 5.4 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Pass

Mumbai Central Railway (CST-Kasara) Local Train Yearly Pass Cost

Cost of Yearly CR (CST-Kasara) Local Train Pass (First and Second Class) = 10.8 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Pass

Latest Mumbai Harbour Line Local Suburban Train Tariff

1] Cost of Mumbai Harbor Line Adult Single Ticket

Please click on below Mumbai Local Harbour Line Fare Chart for train ticket cost on All Harbor Line Stations.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Cost of Mumbai Harbour Line Railway Season Pass

Mumbai Local Harbour Railway Second Class Monthly Season Pass

Please click on below Mumbai Local Harbour Line Fare Chart for cost of Monthly Second Class Pass on All Harbor Line Stations.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai Suburban Harbour Line Monthly First Class Pass Price

Please click on below Mumbai Local Harbour Line Fare Chart for cost of Monthly First Class Pass on All Harbor Line Stations.

(Please Click on above Image to Enlarge and see Full Fare Table)

Mumbai Harbour Line Railway Quarterly Train Pass

Cost of Harbour Line Quarterly Train Pass (both First and Second Class) = 2.7 times the cost of a Monthly Train Season Pass

Mumbai Harbour Line Local Train Half-Yearly Pass Cost

Cost of Harbour Line Half-Yearly (6 Month) Suburban Train Pass (I and II Class) = 5.4 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Pass

Mumbai Harbour Line Local Train Yearly Pass Cost

Cost of Yearly Harbour Line Local Train Pass for First and Second Class = 10.8 times the cost of a Monthly Local Train Season Pass

Ticket Price For Outstation Trains From Mumbai

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• Latest Mumbai Taxi and Auto Rickshaw Fares
• Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar Corridor Mumbai Metro Line One
• Latest Route and Ticket Fare for Mumbai BEST Buses
• Accidents and Deaths on Mumbai’s Suburban Local Trains.
• Impact of Indian Railway Budget 2013-2014 on Mumbai Train Services
• Mumbai Metro and Mumbai Monorail
• Mumbai Private Taxi Fleet and their Tariff

Train Image by Susánica Tam. Image used under Creative Commons License by-nc-nd 2.5. Image by MAhEsH BaSeDiA. Image used under Creative Commons License CC BY-SA 3.0.

2015 List of Public Holidays, Bank Holidays and Government Holidays in Maharashtra, Mumbai and India are listed below. Dates for “Gazetted Holidays” and “Restricted Holidays” in 2015, for Indian Central Government employees are also listed below.

2014 Public and Bank Holiday Dates in Mumbai and Maharashtra

Dates of Public, Bank and Government Holidays in 2015, for Mumbai and Maharashtra, are listed below.

Public and Government Holidays in 2015 in Maharashtra and Mumbai

Bank Holidays in 2015 in Maharashtra, Mumbai and India

• Navratri and Garba Celebrations in Mumbai
• 2014 Dates of Public and Bank Holidays in Mumbai, Maharashtra

2014 Dates of Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganpati Visarjan in Mumbai

Start date of Ganesh Utsav (Ganesh Chaturthi festival) is 29 August, 2014 and end date of Ganesh Chaturti festival is 8 September, 2014.

PLEASE NOTE: In Maharashtra, in addition to Ganesh Chaturti (Vinayaka Chaturthi), the birth of Lord Ganesh is also celebrated on “Ganesh Jayanti”; which as per the Hindu calendar is on shukla paksha chaturthi (4^th day of the waxing moon), in the month of “Magha”. “Ganesh Jayanti” is usually celebrated in February.

Famous Ganpati Idols and Ganesh Mandal in Mumbai

• Lalbaug Cha Raja (Lalbaug)
• GSB Seva Mandal (King Circle – Winner of TOI’s 2^nd Best Ganesh Idol in 2013)
• Mumbaicha Raja (Ganesh Galli, Lalbaug)
• Khetwadicha Ganraj (Khetwadi Lane 12 – Winner of TOI’s Best Ganesh Idol in Mumbai in 2013)
• Panchsheel Ganpati (Mumbai Central)
• Mumbaicha Maharaja (Khetwadi Lane 11)
• Parelcha Raja (Nare Park)
• Chandanwadi Ganesh (Chira Bazar)
• Fort IcchaPurti Ganesh (Fort – Winner of TOI’s 2^nd Best Ganesh Mandal in Mumbai in 2013)
• Tulsiwadi Ganpati (Tardeo – Winner of TOI’s 3^rd Best Ganesh Idol in 2013)
• Khetwadi Cha Raja (Khambata Lane)
• Khetwadi Vignaharta (Lane 2 and 3)
• Khetwadi Galli 7 Ganpati
• Navsala Pavnara Andheri Cha Raja
• Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani
• Ganapati of Shri Sai Darshan Mitra Mandal (Malad W – Winner of TOI’s 3^rd Best Ganesh Idol in 2013)
• Ganesh of Sahyadri Krida Mandal (Chembur – Winner of TOI’s Best Ganesh Mandal in Mumbai in 2013)
• Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal (Vashi Sector 17 – Winner of TOI’s 3^rd Best Ganesh Mandal in Mumbai in 2013)

Pictures of Mumbai’s Best and Most Famous Ganesh Idols in 2014

Route, Map and Location of Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) in Mumbai

The main Ganpati Visarjan (Ganesh Idol Immersion) places in Mumbai are listed below. Please click on the link to Ganesh Visarjan to see the detailed road route, map and traffic flow for Ganpati Immersion in Mumbai.

• South Mumbai (Chowpatty)
• Detailed Chowpatty Map
• Lalbaug Cha Raja Route
• Dadar and Shivaji Park
• Juhu Beach
• Versova Beach
• Bhujale Talao (Malad West)
• Aksa Beach, Marve Beach
• Gorai Jetty, Borivali (West)
• Sheetal Talao, Kurla (West)
• Powai Lake, Pawarwadi

Auspicious Time to Perform Ganesh Puja and Ganesh Aarti

It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born at noon (“Madhyahana Kaal”). Hence, Ganpati Pooja or Ganesh Aarti is usually performed around noon.

11:25 am to 1:30 pm is considered a good time to perform Ganesh Pooja.

Ganesh Utsav (Ganesh Festival, Ganesh Chaturthi) in Mumbai

• As per estimates, 200,000 Ganesh idols are worshipped in Mumbai during Ganesh Utsav. Of these, 95% are set up in private homes, whereas the rest are installed in “Pandals” which attract large number of devotees.
• Mumbai is famous for large community based Ganesh Festival celebration, known as “Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav”. This form of community celebration, where Mandals (social groups) set up large Ganesh Idols, was first introduced in 1893 by freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak. Tilak introduced large Ganapati street celebration to unite Indians and to protest against British rule. He used Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganeshutsav as an opportunity to spread the message of independence (“Swaraj“).
• Mumbai has around 10,500 registered Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandals.
• Many of Mumbai Ganpati idols are made of Plaster Of Paris (POP) and painted with synthetic paints. Unfortunately, when POP is immersed in water, it is not good for the environment. In recent years, there is a trend to using environment sound material such as natural clay.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Pictures of 2013 Ganpati Idols and Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai
• Pictures of 2012 Ganesh Idols in Mumbai
• Ganpati Visarjan in Mumbai: Location and Route Map
• Navratri Festival and Garba in Mumbai
• Famous Hindu Temples and Places of Worship in Mumbai

Latest Mumbai Taxi and Auto Fares and Tariff

Latest Auto and Taxi Fares in Mumbai are listed below. The new Taxi and Auto Rickshaw Fare Tariff Cards are effective from 12 August, 2014.

Latest Mumbai Taxi Tariff Rate Card For Black and Yellow Cabs

Mumbai’s latest Black and Yellow TAXI Tariff Fare Card is effective from 12 August, 2014.

MUMBAI TAXI TARIFF CARD – PART 1

(Please click on the above image to view detailed taxi fare card)

MUMBAI TAXI FARE CARD – PART 2

(Please click on the above image to view detailed taxi tariff card)

Salient features of Mumbai’s Taxi Tariff are:

• Minimum Mumbai Taxi Fare is Rs 21.00 for the first 1.6 Kms
• Taxi Fare for every additional Km is Rs 13.96 per Km (rounded to nearest Rupee)
• After “1.0″, Meter Reading of 0.1 is equal to 167 meters or 0.167 Km

• Night Charge is applicable from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 am and is 25% of “Regular” Daytime rate
• Luggage Charge of Rs 6.00 for bags greater than 60 X 40 cm (handbag, briefcase, etc, no charge)
• The above revised taxi rates are as per the Hakim Committee recommendations.
• In case of complaint against Mumbai Auto or Taxi, call RTO toll free number 1800-22-0110.

Latest Tariff Rate Card For Mumbai Auto Rickshaws

The latest Auto Rickshaw Tariff Fare Card is effective from 12 August, 2014. (Please click on the below images to view the latest Mumbai Auto Fares.)

MUMBAI AUTO TARIFF FARE CARD – PART 1

(Please click on the above image to view detailed auto fare card)

MUMBAI AUTO TARIFF FARE CARD – PART 2

(Please click on the above image to view detailed auto tariff card)

Salient features of Mumbai’s Auto-rickshaw Fares are:

(i) Minimum Mumbai Auto Rickshaw Fare is Rs 17.00 for the first 1.6 Kms

(ii) Auto Fare for every additional Km is Rs 11.33 per Km (rounded to nearest Rupee)

(iii) After 1.0, Meter Reading of 0.1 is equal to 200 meters or 0.20 Km

(iv) Night Charge is applicable from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 am and is 25% of “Regular” Daytime rate

(V) Luggage Charge of Rs 3.00 for bags greater than 60 X 40 cm (handbag, briefcase, etc, no charge)

(vi) The revised auto-rickshaw tariff rates are as per the recommendations of the Hakim Committee.

(vii) In case of complaint against Mumbai Auto or Taxi, call RTO toll free number 1800-22-0110.

How to Complain against Mumbai Taxi and Auto Rickshaw Drivers?

In case of harassment (rude behavior, excess fare, refusal to travel, etc)  lodge a complaint against Mumbai’s Taxis and Auto-rickshaws at the below Mumbai Police RTO phone numbers or Police email ids.

MUMBAI, THANE, TAXI AND AUTO RICKSHAW COMPLAINT HELPLINE

(i) Mumbai RTO Complaint Tollfree Number: 1800-22-0110

(ii) Tardeo RTO Complaint Number: 23532337, 23534600; email: mh01@mahatranscom.in

(iii) Andheri RTO Complaint Number: 26366957, 26362252; email: mh02@mahatranscom.in

(iv) Wadala RTO Complaint Number: 24935857; email: mh03@mahatranscom.in

(v) Thane RTO Complaint Tollfree Number: 1800-22-5335

(vi) Thane RTO Complaint Number: 25343580, 25363838; email: mh04@mahatranscom.in

(vii) Vashi RTO Complaint Number: 27650701, 27840702; email: mh43@mahatranscom.in

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Mumbai Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) Route, Map and Location

South Mumbai and Chowpatty Route and Map for Ganesh Immersion

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Chowpatty Beach (Girgaon) Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) Road and Map

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Lalbaughcha Raja Visarjan Route from Lalbaug To Girgaon Chowpatty

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganesh Visarjan Road Map for Dadar Chowpatty and Shivaji Park

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Juhu Beach Ganesha Visarjan (Immersion) Road Route amd Directions

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Versova Route for Ganpati Visarjan (Immersion)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganesh Immersion (Visrjan) Route for Bhujale Talao in Malad (West)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganpati Visarjan Route for Aksa and Marve Beach in Malad (West)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Gorai Jetty and Borivali (West) Ganesh Visarjan Road Route and Map

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Ganesh Visarjan Road Route for Sheetal Talao (Pond), Kurla (West)

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Powai Lake Ganesh Ghat and Pawarwadi Ganpati Immersion Route Map

(To see a large Ganesh Immersion Map, Click on the Visarjan Route Map)

Note: Many of these maps have been taken from Mumbai Police website.

Pictures of Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) in Mumbai

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

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