Mumbai

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Coordinates: 19°04′34″N 72°52′39″E / 19.07611°N 72.87750°E / 19.07611; 72.87750
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Mumbai
Bombay
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
Bandra–Worli Sea Link
Mumbai is located in India
Mumbai
Mumbai
Location in India
Coordinates: 19°04′34″N 72°52′39″E / 19.07611°N 72.87750°E / 19.07611; 72.87750
Country 
UTC+5:30 (IST)
PINs
400 001 to 400 107
Area code+91-22
Vehicle registration
  • MH-01 Mumbai(S/C)
  • MH-02 Mumbai(W)
  • MH-03 Mumbai(E)
  • MH-47 Borivali[12]
Rapid Transit
Mumbai Metro and Mumbai Monorail
Official languageMarathi[15][16]
Websitemumbaicity.gov.in
Official nameElephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai
TypeCultural
Criteriai, ii, iii, iv
Designated1987, 2004, 2018 (11th, 28th 42nd sessions)
Reference no.[1]; [2] [3]
RegionSouthern Asia

Mumbai (English:

world city.[19][20]

The seven islands that constitute Mumbai were earlier home to communities of

Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Mumbai as the capital.[27]

Mumbai is the

Bollywood and Marathi cinema
industries. Mumbai's business opportunities attract migrants from all over India.

Etymology

The name Mumbai (

Mumbadevi of the native Koli community[34]—and ā'ī meaning "mother" in the Marathi language, which is the mother tongue of the Koli people and the official language of Maharashtra.[21][35] The Koli people originated in Kathiawar and Central Gujarat, and according to some sources they brought their goddess Mumba with them from Kathiawar (Gujarat), where she is still worshipped.[22][23] However, other sources disagree that Mumbai's name was derived from the goddess Mumba.[23]

The Mumba Devi Temple
, from whom the city of Mumbai may derive its name

The oldest known names for the city are Kakamuchee and Galajunkja; these are sometimes still used.[36][37] In 1508, Portuguese writer Gaspar Correia used the name "Bombaim" in his Lendas da Índia (Legends of India).[38][39] This name possibly originated as the Galician-Portuguese phrase bom baim, meaning "good little bay",[40] and Bombaim is still commonly used in Portuguese.[41] In 1516, Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa used the name Tana-Maiambu: Tana appears to refer to the adjoining town of Thane and Maiambu to Mumbadevi.[42]

Other variations recorded in the 16th and the 17th centuries include: Mombayn (1525), Bombay (1538), Bombain (1552), Bombaym (1552), Monbaym (1554), Mombaim (1563), Mombaym (1644), Bambaye (1666), Bombaiim (1666), Bombeye (1676), Boon Bay (1690),

anglicised as Bombay.[45] Ali Muhammad Khan, imperial dewan or revenue minister of the Gujarat province, in the Mirat-i Ahmedi (1762) referred to the city as Manbai.[46]

The French traveller Louis Rousselet, who visited in 1863 and 1868, states in his book L'Inde des Rajahs, which was first published in 1877: "Etymologists have wrongly derived this name from the Portuguese Bôa Bahia, or (French: "bonne bai", English: "good bay"), not knowing that the tutelar goddess of this island has been, from remote antiquity, Bomba, or Mumba Devi, and that she still ... possesses a temple".[47]

By the late 20th century, the city was referred to as Mumbai or Mambai in Marathi,

Kannada and Sindhi, and as Bambai in Hindi.[48] The Government of India officially changed the English name to Mumbai in November 1995.[49] This came at the insistence of the Marathi nationalist Shiv Sena party, which had just won the Maharashtra state elections, and mirrored similar name changes across the country and particularly in Maharashtra.[50] According to Slate magazine, "they argued that 'Bombay' was a corrupted English version of 'Mumbai' and an unwanted legacy of British colonial rule."[51] Slate also said "The push to rename Bombay was part of a larger movement to strengthen Marathi identity in the Maharashtra region."[52] While Mumbai is still referred to as Bombay by some of its residents and by some Indians from other regions,[53][54] mention of the city by a name other than Mumbai has been controversial.[55][56]

People from Mumbai

A resident of Mumbai is called Mumbaikar (pronounced [mumbəikəɾ]) in Marathi, in which the suffix -kar means a resident of. The term had been in use for quite some time but it gained popularity after the official name change to Mumbai.[57] Older terms such as Bombayite are also in use.[58][59]

History

Main articles: History of Mumbai and Timeline of Mumbai
Historical affiliations

Bombay Presidency 1843–1936
Bombay State 1542–1824
Maharashtra 1960–Present

Early history

A white Buddhist stupa.
Kanheri Caves
contain Buddhist sculptures and paintings dating from the 1st century CE to the 10th century CE.

Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of

seven islands: Isle of Bombay, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba).[60] It is not exactly known when these islands were first inhabited. Pleistocene sediments found along the coastal areas around Kandivali in northern Mumbai suggest that the islands were inhabited since the South Asian Stone Age.[61] Perhaps at the beginning of the Common Era, or possibly earlier, they came to be occupied by the Koli fishing community.[62][63]

In the 3rd century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire, during its expansion in the south, ruled by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka of Magadha.[64] The Kanheri Caves in Borivali were excavated from basalt rock in the first century CE,[65] and served as an important centre of Buddhism in Western India during ancient Times.[66] The city then was known as Heptanesia (Ancient Greek: A Cluster of Seven Islands) to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150 CE.[67] The Mahakali Caves in Andheri were cut out between the 1st century BCE and the 6th century CE.[68][69]

Between the 2nd century BCE and 9th century CE, the islands came under the control of successive indigenous dynasties: Satavahanas, Western Satraps, Abhira, Vakataka, Kalachuris, Konkan Mauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas,[70] before being ruled by the Shilaharas from 810 to 1260.[71] Some of the oldest edifices in the city built during this period are the Jogeshwari Caves (between 520 and 525),[72] Elephanta Caves (between the sixth to seventh century),[73] Walkeshwar Temple (10th century),[74][75] and Banganga Tank (12th century).[76][77]

The Haji Ali Dargah was built in 1431, when Mumbai was under the rule of the Gujarat Sultanate
.

King Bhimdev founded his kingdom in the region in the late 13th century and established his capital in Mahikawati (present day Mahim).[78] The Pathare Prabhus, among the earliest known settlers of the city, were brought to Mahikawati from Saurashtra in Gujarat around 1298 by Bhimdev.[79] The Delhi Sultanate annexed the islands in 1347–48 and controlled it until 1407. During this time, the islands were administered by the Muslim Governors of Gujarat, who were appointed by the Delhi Sultanate.[80][81]

The islands were later governed by the independent Gujarat Sultanate, which was established in 1407. The Sultanate's patronage led to the construction of many mosques, prominent being the Haji Ali Dargah in Worli, built in honour of the Muslim saint Haji Ali in 1431.[82] From 1429 to 1431, the islands were a source of contention between the Gujarat Sultanate and the Bahmani Sultanate of Deccan.[83][84] In 1493, Bahadur Khan Gilani of the Bahmani Sultanate attempted to conquer the islands but was defeated.[85]

Portuguese and British rule

Main articles:
History of Bombay under British rule
The Madh Fort, built by the Portuguese, was one of the most important forts in Salsette
.

The Mughal Empire, founded in 1526, was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent during the mid-16th century.[86] Growing apprehensive of the power of the Mughal emperor Humayun, Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was obliged to sign the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese Empire on 23 December 1534. According to the treaty, the Seven Islands of Bombay, the nearby strategic town of Bassein and its dependencies were offered to the Portuguese. The territories were later surrendered on 25 October 1535.[87]

Flora Fountain, built in Neo Classical and Gothic Revival style in 1864, depicts the Roman goddess Flora
.

The Portuguese were actively involved in the foundation and growth of their

Wadala still remained under Portuguese possession. From 1665 to 1666, the English managed to acquire Mahim, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala.[94]

Two views of the English fort in Bombay, c. 1665

In accordance with the

Rickloffe van Goen, the Governor-General of Dutch India on 20 February 1673,[102] and Siddi admiral Sambal on 10 October 1673.[101]

In 1687, the English East India Company transferred its headquarters from

Baji Rao I captured Salsette in 1737, and Bassein in 1739.[106]
By the middle of the 18th century, Mumbai began to grow into a major trading town, and received a huge influx of migrants from across India.
Salsette and Bassein, resulting in the First Anglo-Maratha War.[108] The British were able to secure Salsette from the Marathas without violence through the Treaty of Purandar (1776),[109] and later through the Treaty of Salbai (1782), signed to settle the outcome of the First Anglo-Maratha War.[110]

Mumbai Harbour
(c. 1731). Mumbai emerged as a significant trading town during the mid-18th century.

From 1782 onwards, the city was reshaped with large-scale civil engineering projects aimed at merging all the

seven islands of Bombay into a single amalgamated mass by way of a causeway called the Hornby Vellard, which was completed by 1784.[25][111] In 1817, the British East India Company under Mountstuart Elphinstone defeated Baji Rao II, the last of the Maratha Peshwa in the Battle of Khadki.[112] Following his defeat, almost the whole of the Deccan Plateau came under British suzerainty, and was incorporated into the Bombay Presidency. The success of the British campaign in the Deccan marked the end of all attacks by native powers.[113]

By 1845, the seven islands coalesced into a single landmass by the Hornby Vellard project via large scale land reclamation.[26][114] On 16 April 1853, India's first passenger railway line was established, connecting Mumbai to the neighbouring town of Thana (now Thane).[115] During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the city became the world's chief cotton-trading market, resulting in a boom in the economy that subsequently enhanced the city's stature.[116]

The opening of the

bubonic plague epidemic where the death toll was estimated at 1,900 people per week.[118] About 850,000 people fled Mumbai and the textile industry was adversely affected.[119] While the city was the capital of the Bombay Presidency, the Indian independence movement fostered the Quit India Movement in 1942 and the Royal Indian Navy mutiny in 1946.[120][121]

Independent India

Main article:
History of Bombay in Independent India
Municipal Corporation Building, Mumbai
in 1950 (Victoria Terminus partly visible on far right)

After India's independence in 1947, the territory of the

Mumbai City to form the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation.[123]

The

States Reorganisation Committee recommended a bilingual state for Maharashtra–Gujarat with Mumbai as its capital in its 1955 report. Bombay Citizens' Committee, an advocacy group of leading Gujarati industrialists lobbied for Mumbai's independent status.[125]

Following protests during the movement in which 105 people died in clashes with the police,

Great Bombay Textile Strike, in which nearly 250,000 workers in more than 50 textile mills went on strike.[132] Mumbai's defunct cotton mills have since become the focus of intense redevelopment.[133][134] Industrial development began in Mumbai when its economy started focusing on the petrochemical, electronic, and automotive sectors. In 1954 Hindustan Petroleum comissoned Mumbai Refinery at Trombay and BPCL Refinery.[135]

The

Nhava Sheva with a view to de-congest Mumbai Harbour and to serve as a hub port for the city.[136] The geographical limits of Greater Mumbai were coextensive with municipal limits of Greater Mumbai. On 1 October 1990, the Greater Mumbai district was bifurcated to form two revenue districts namely, Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban, though they continued to be administered by same Municipal Administration.[137]

The years from 1990 to 2010 saw an increase in violence and terrorism activities. Following the

Mumbai underworld resulted in 257 deaths and over 700 injuries.[138] In 2006, 209 people were killed and over 700 injured when seven bombs exploded on the city's commuter trains.[139] In 2008, a series of ten coordinated attacks by armed terrorists for three days resulted in 173 deaths, 308 injuries, and severe damage to several heritage landmarks and prestigious hotels.[140] The three coordinated bomb explosions in July 2011 that occurred at the Opera house, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar were the latest in the series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai which resulted in 26 deaths and 130 injuries.[141][142]

Mumbai is the commercial capital of India and has evolved into a global financial hub.[143] For several decades it has been the home of India's main financial services companies, and a focus for both infrastructure development and private investment.[144] From being an ancient fishing community and a colonial centre of trade, Mumbai has become South Asia's largest city and home of the world's most prolific film industry.[145]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Mumbai
See also: South Mumbai, Western Suburbs (Mumbai), Eastern Suburbs (Mumbai), and List of neighbourhoods in Mumbai
Mumbai consists of two revenue districts.
Population density and elevation above sea level in Mumbai, India (2010). Mumbai is especially vulnerable to sea level rise
.

Mumbai is on a narrow peninsula on the southwest of

Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). The remaining areas belong to various Defence establishments, the Mumbai Port Trust, the Atomic Energy Commission and the Borivali National Park, which are out of the jurisdiction of the MCGM.[148] The Mumbai Metropolitan Region which includes portions of Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts in addition to Greater Mumbai, covers an area of 4,355 km2 (1681.5 sq mi).[8]
Mumbai lies at the mouth of the
Mumbai suburban district, and partly in the Thane district, and it extends over an area of 103.09 km2 (39.80 sq mi).[155]

Apart from the

Thane creek
on the eastern to Madh Marve on the western front.[158] The eastern coast of Salsette Island is covered with large mangrove swamps, rich in biodiversity, while the western coast is mostly sandy and rocky.[159]

Soil cover in the city region is predominantly sandy due to its proximity to the sea. In the suburbs, the soil cover is largely alluvial and loamy.

Seismic Zone III region,[163] which means an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.5 on the Richter magnitude scale may be expected.[164]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Mumbai
See also: Mumbai Climate Action Plan
The average temperature ranges between 23 °C (73 °F) in January to 30 °C (86 °F) in May. Rainfall is at or near zero from November through May, then quickly rises to a peak of about 600 mm (23.62 in) in July, falling back more gradually.
Average temperature and precipitation in Mumbai

Mumbai has a

south west monsoon season, and October and November form the post-monsoon season.[166]

Between June and September, the

highest rainfall recorded in a single day was 944 mm (37 in) on 26 July 2005.[168] The average total annual rainfall is 2,213.4 mm (87 in) for the Island City, and 2,502.3 mm (99 in) for the suburbs.[167]

The average annual temperature is 27 °C (81 °F), and the average annual

precipitation is 2,213 mm (87 in).[169] In the Island City, the average maximum temperature is 31 °C (88 °F), while the average minimum temperature is 24 °C (75 °F). In the suburbs, the daily mean maximum temperature range from 29 °C (84 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F), while the daily mean minimum temperature ranges from 16 °C (61 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F).[167] The record high is 42.2 °C (108 °F) set on 14 April 1952,[170] and the record low is 7.4 °C (45 °F) set on 27 January 1962.[170][171]

Tropical cyclones are rare in the city, The worst cyclone to ever impact Mumbai was the one in 1948 where gusts reached 151 km/h (94 mph) in Juhu. The storm left 38 people dead and 47 missing. The storm reportedly impacted Mumbai for 20 hours and left the city devastated.[172][173][174]

Mumbai is prone to

Maharashtra government adopted a flood mitigation plan; according to which the drainage system will be restructured, restoration of Mithi River, and re-establishment of informal settlements. Local civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities are assigned to forecast and issue eviction notices while BMC along with NGO's prepare for the evacuation of slum dwellers to temporary safe camps.[177][178][179]

Climate data for Mumbai (Colaba) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.0
(98.6) 		38.3
(100.9) 		41.6
(106.9) 		40.6
(105.1) 		39.7
(103.5) 		37.2
(99.0) 		35.6
(96.1) 		33.8
(92.8) 		35.6
(96.1) 		39.5
(103.1) 		38.4
(101.1) 		36.7
(98.1) 		41.6
(106.9)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 34.4
(93.9) 		34.9
(94.8) 		35.8
(96.4) 		35.1
(95.2) 		35.4
(95.7) 		35.0
(95.0) 		32.1
(89.8) 		31.7
(89.1) 		32.7
(90.9) 		36.4
(97.5) 		36.3
(97.3) 		35.3
(95.5) 		37.6
(99.7)
Average high °C (°F) 30.2
(86.4) 		30.3
(86.5) 		31.7
(89.1) 		32.9
(91.2) 		34.0
(93.2) 		32.2
(90.0) 		29.9
(85.8) 		29.9
(85.8) 		30.6
(87.1) 		33.1
(91.6) 		33.8
(92.8) 		32.2
(90.0) 		31.7
(89.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.9
(76.8) 		25.3
(77.5) 		27.1
(80.8) 		28.9
(84.0) 		30.5
(86.9) 		29.3
(84.7) 		27.8
(82.0) 		27.4
(81.3) 		27.8
(82.0) 		28.9
(84.0) 		28.4
(83.1) 		26.5
(79.7) 		27.7
(81.9)
Average low °C (°F) 19.4
(66.9) 		20.4
(68.7) 		23.0
(73.4) 		25.3
(77.5) 		27.3
(81.1) 		26.6
(79.9) 		25.5
(77.9) 		25.2
(77.4) 		25.1
(77.2) 		25.1
(77.2) 		23.6
(74.5) 		21.2
(70.2) 		24
(75)
Mean minimum °C (°F) 16.0
(60.8) 		17.1
(62.8) 		20.0
(68.0) 		22.9
(73.2) 		25.0
(77.0) 		23.3
(73.9) 		23.3
(73.9) 		23.3
(73.9) 		23.1
(73.6) 		22.8
(73.0) 		20.7
(69.3) 		17.7
(63.9) 		15.6
(60.1)
Record low °C (°F) 11.7
(53.1) 		11.7
(53.1) 		16.3
(61.3) 		20.0
(68.0) 		22.8
(73.0) 		21.1
(70.0) 		21.7
(71.1) 		20.7
(69.3) 		20.0
(68.0) 		20.6
(69.1) 		17.8
(64.0) 		12.8
(55.0) 		11.7
(53.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.6
(0.02) 		0.4
(0.02) 		0.7
(0.03) 		0.2
(0.01) 		15.9
(0.63) 		506.0
(19.92) 		768.5
(30.26) 		471.9
(18.58) 		355.6
(14.00) 		81.7
(3.22) 		8.5
(0.33) 		3.4
(0.13) 		2,213.4
(87.14)
Average rainy days 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.6 14.1 22.1 20.2 14.0 3.6 0.5 0.3 75.6
Average
relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST
) 		62 62 63 66 68 77 85 84 80 72 65 63 71
Average dew point °C (°F) 15
(59) 		16
(61) 		19
(66) 		22
(72) 		24
(75) 		25
(77) 		25
(77) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		22
(72) 		19
(66) 		16
(61) 		21
(70)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 282.1 271.2 282.1 279.0 272.8 138.0 80.6 77.5 147.0 238.7 267.0 275.9 2,611.9
Mean daily sunshine hours 9.1 9.6 9.1 9.3 8.8 4.6 2.6 2.5 4.9 7.7 8.9 8.9 7.2
Average ultraviolet index 8 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 8 7 11
Source 1: India Meteorological Department (sun 1971–2000)[180][181][182]Time and Date (dewpoints, 1985-2015)[183]
Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1981–2010)[184]Weather Atlas[185]
Climate data for Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, located in Santacruz) 1991–2020, extremes 1951–2012)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.4
(99.3) 		39.6
(103.3) 		41.7
(107.1) 		42.2
(108.0) 		41.0
(105.8) 		39.8
(103.6) 		36.2
(97.2) 		33.5
(92.3) 		37.0
(98.6) 		38.6
(101.5) 		37.6
(99.7) 		39.8
(103.6) 		42.2
(108.0)
Average high °C (°F) 31.2
(88.2) 		31.7
(89.1) 		33.1
(91.6) 		33.4
(92.1) 		33.7
(92.7) 		32.5
(90.5) 		30.4
(86.7) 		30.2
(86.4) 		30.9
(87.6) 		33.6
(92.5) 		34.1
(93.4) 		32.6
(90.7) 		32.3
(90.1)
Average low °C (°F) 16.9
(62.4) 		18.1
(64.6) 		21.1
(70.0) 		24.2
(75.6) 		27.0
(80.6) 		26.6
(79.9) 		25.5
(77.9) 		25.2
(77.4) 		24.9
(76.8) 		23.9
(75.0) 		21.4
(70.5) 		18.4
(65.1) 		22.8
(73.0)
Record low °C (°F) 7.4
(45.3) 		8.5
(47.3) 		12.7
(54.9) 		16.9
(62.4) 		20.2
(68.4) 		19.8
(67.6) 		21.2
(70.2) 		19.4
(66.9) 		20.7
(69.3) 		16.7
(62.1) 		13.3
(55.9) 		10.6
(51.1) 		7.4
(45.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.2
(0.01) 		0.2
(0.01) 		0.1
(0.00) 		0.1
(0.00) 		7.3
(0.29) 		526.3
(20.72) 		919.9
(36.22) 		560.8
(22.08) 		383.5
(15.10) 		91.3
(3.59) 		11.0
(0.43) 		1.6
(0.06) 		2,502.3
(98.52)
Average rainy days 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.7 14.0 23.3 21.4 14.4 3.9 0.6 0.2 78.6
Average
relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST
) 		49 47 51 59 65 74 81 81 76 63 54 51 63
Source: India Meteorological Department[186][187]

Air pollution

IIT Bombay, in partnership with the McKelvey School of Engineering of Washington University in St. Louis, launched the Aerosol and Air Quality Research Facility to study air pollution in Mumbai, among other Indian cities.[195]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Mumbai
The Bombay Stock Exchange
is the oldest stock exchange in Asia.
Three Sixty West Tower B, occupied by The Ritz-Carlton, is one of the tallest commercial buildings
in the city.
Kohinoor Square, located in Dadar
, is an important commercial building in the city.

Mumbai is India's second largest city (by population) and is the financial and commercial capital of the country as it generates 6.16% of the total GDP.

foreign trade, and ₹40 billion (equivalent to ₹110 billion or US$1.4 billion in 2020) in corporate taxes.[197] Along with the rest of India, Mumbai has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalisation of 1991, the finance boom in the mid-nineties and the IT, export, services and outsourcing boom in the 2000s.[198] Although Mumbai had prominently figured as the hub of economic activity of India in the 1990s, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region's contribution to India's GDP is currently declining.[199]

Recent estimates of the economy of the

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Tata Group, Godrej and Reliance),[143] and five of the Fortune Global 500 companies are based in Mumbai.[203] This is facilitated by the presence of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), and financial sector regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).[199]

Until the 1970s, Mumbai owed its prosperity largely to textile mills and the seaport, but the local economy has since then diversified to include

healthcare and information technology.[204]
The key sectors contributing to the city's economy are: finance, gems & jewellery, leather processing, IT and ITES, textiles, petrochemical, electronics manufacturing, automobiles, and entertainment. Nariman Point and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) are Mumbai's major financial centres.[199] Despite competition from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, Mumbai has carved a niche for itself in the information technology industry. The Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) and the International Infotech Park (Navi Mumbai) offer excellent facilities to IT companies.[205]

State and central government employees make up a large percentage of the city's workforce. Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled self-employed population, who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics, and other such

Mumbai Port being one of the oldest and most significant ports in India.[206] Dharavi, in central Mumbai, has an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of the city; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories.[207]

As of 2022, Mumbai is home to the eighth-highest number of billionaires of any city.[208] With a total wealth of around $960 billion,[209][210] it is the richest Indian city and one of the richest cities in the world.[211] As of 2008, the Globalization and World Cities Study Group (GaWC) has ranked Mumbai as an "Alpha world city", third in its categories of Global cities.[19] Mumbai is the third most expensive office market in the world, and was ranked among the fastest cities in the country for business startup in 2009.[212]

Civic administration

Headquarters of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
(BMC). The BMC is the largest civic organisation in the country.

Greater Mumbai (or Brihanmumbai), an area of 603 km2 (233 sq mi),[213] consisting of the Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts, extends from Colaba in the south, to Mulund and Dahisar in the north, and Mankhurd in the east. Its population as per the 2011 census was 12,442,373.[214]

It is administered by the

BMC is in charge of the civic and infrastructure needs of the metropolis.[215] The mayor, who serves for a term of two and a half years, is chosen through an indirect election by the councillors from among themselves.[216]

The municipal commissioner is the chief executive officer and head of the executive arm of the municipal corporation. All executive powers are vested in the

municipal commissioner who is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed by the state government. Although the municipal corporation is the legislative body that lays down policies for the governance of the city, it is the commissioner who is responsible for the execution of the policies. The commissioner is appointed for a fixed term as defined by state statute. The powers of the commissioner are those provided by statute and those delegated by the corporation or the standing committee.[217]

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was ranked 9th out of 21 cities for best governance & administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 3.5 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3.[218]

A brown building with a central tower and sloping roofs surrounded by trees. A grassy ground and a coconut tree are in front of it.
The Bombay High Court exercises jurisdiction over Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
.

The two revenue districts of Mumbai come under the jurisdiction of a

District Collector. The collectors are in charge of property records and revenue collection for the central government
, and oversee the national elections held in the city.

The

traffic police zones,[148] each headed by a deputy commissioner of police.[220] The Mumbai Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Mumbai Police. The Mumbai Fire Brigade, under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporation, is headed by the chief fire officer, who is assisted by four deputy chief fire officers and six divisional officers.[148] The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is responsible for infrastructure development and planning of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.[221]

Mumbai is the seat of the

Small Causes Court for civil matters, and the Sessions Court for criminal cases. Mumbai also has a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court for people accused of conspiring and abetting acts of terrorism in the city.[223]

Politics

Men in traditional Indian dresses posing for a photograph
First session of the Indian National Congress
in Mumbai (28–31 December 1885)

Mumbai had been a traditional stronghold and birthplace of the Indian National Congress, also known as the Congress Party.[224] The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Mumbai from 28 to 31 December 1885.[225] The city played host to the Indian National Congress six times during its first 50 years, and became a strong base for the Indian independence movement during the 20th century.[226]

The 1960s saw the rise of regionalist politics in Mumbai, with the formation of the

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the same year.[228] The Congress had dominated the politics of Mumbai from independence until the early 1980s, when the Shiv Sena won the 1985 Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections.[229]

In 1989, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a major national political party, forged an electoral alliance with the Shiv Sena to dislodge the Congress in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. In 1999, several members left the Congress to form the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) but later allied with the Congress as part of an alliance known as the Democratic Front.[230] Other parties such as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and several independent candidates also contest elections in the city.[231]

In the

Indian Parliament, is elected from each of the parliamentary constituencies. In the 2019 national election, all six parliamentary constituencies were won by the BJP and Shiv Sena in alliance, with both parties winning three seats each.[233]

In the

Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) is elected from each of the assembly constituencies. In the 2019 state assembly election, out of the 36 assembly constituencies, 16 were won by the BJP, 11 by the Shiv Sena, 6 by the Congress, 2 by the NCP and one by independent candidate.[236]

Elections are also held every five years to elect corporators to power in the MCGM.

municipal commissioner is two and a half years.[242]

Transport

Main article: Transport in Mumbai
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, India
Jawaharlal Nehru Port
is the busiest port in India.

Public transport

Public transport systems in Mumbai include the

ferries. Suburban railway and BEST bus services together accounted for about 88% of the passenger traffic in 2008.[243] Auto rickshaws are allowed to operate only in the suburban areas of Mumbai, while taxis are allowed to operate throughout Mumbai, but generally operate in South Mumbai.[244] Taxis and Auto rickshaws in Mumbai are required by law to run on compressed natural gas (CNG),[245] and are a convenient, economical, and easily available means of transport.[244]

Railway

The Mumbai Suburban Railway, popularly referred to as Locals forms the backbone of the city's transport system.[246] It is operated by the Central Railway and Western Railway zones of the Indian Railways.[247] Mumbai's suburban rail systems carried a total of 63 lakh (6.3 million) passengers every day in 2007.[248] Trains are overcrowded during peak hours, with nine-car trains of rated capacity 1,700 passengers, actually carrying around 4,500 passengers at peak hours.[249] The Mumbai rail network is spread at an expanse of 319 route kilometres. 191 rakes (train-sets) of 9 car and 12 car composition are utilised to run a total of 2,226 train services in the city.[250]

The Mumbai Monorail and Mumbai Metro have been built and are being extended in phases to relieve the overcrowding on the existing network. The Monorail opened in early February 2014.[251] The first line of the Mumbai Metro opened in early June 2014.[252]

Mumbai is the headquarters of two zones of the

Mumbai Central, Bandra Terminus, Andheri and Borivali.[254]

Bus

Mumbai's bus services carried over 55 lakh (5.5 million) passengers per day in 2008,

Euro III compliant diesel and compressed natural gas powered buses.[258] BEST introduced air-conditioned buses in 1998.[259] BEST buses are red in colour, based originally on the Routemaster buses of London.[260]
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC, also known as ST)[261] buses provide intercity transport connecting Mumbai with other towns and cities of Maharashtra and nearby states.[262][263] The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) and Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) also operate their buses in Mumbai, connecting various nodes of Navi Mumbai and Thane to parts of Mumbai.[264][265]

Buses are generally favoured for commuting short to medium distances, while train fares are more economical for longer distance commutes.[266]

The Mumbai Darshan is a tourist bus service which explores numerous tourist attractions in Mumbai.[267] Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) lanes have been planned throughout Mumbai.[268] Though 88% of the city's commuters travel by public transport, Mumbai still continues to struggle with traffic congestion.[269] Mumbai's transport system has been categorised as one of the most congested in the world.[270]

Water

infrastructure.[272]

Road

Mumbai is served by National Highway 48, National Highway 66, National Highway 160 and National Highway 61.

tolled entry points to the city by road.[279]

Mumbai had about 721,000 private vehicles as of March 2014,[280] 56,459 black and yellow taxis as of 2005,[281] and 106,000 auto rickshaws, as of May 2013.[282]

Mumbai currently has one operational expressway–the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, which directly connects Mumbai with Pune. In the coming years, the great metropolis will be connected with more expressways. They are as follows:

Air

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (formerly Sahar International Airport) is the main aviation hub in the city and the second busiest airport in India in terms of passenger traffic.[290] It handled 36.6 million (3.66 crore) passengers and 694,300 tonnes of cargo during FY 2014–2015.[291] An upgrade plan was initiated in 2006, targeted at increasing the capacity of the airport to handle up to 40 million (4 crore) passengers annually[292] and the new terminal T2 was opened in February 2014.[293]

The proposed

Navi Mumbai International airport to be built in the Kopra-Panvel area has been sanctioned by the Indian Government and will help relieve the increasing traffic burden on the existing airport.[294]

The Juhu Aerodrome was India's first airport, and now hosts the Bombay Flying Club and a heliport operated by state-owned Pawan Hans.[295]

Sea

Mumbai is served by two major ports,

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, which lies just across the creek in Navi Mumbai.[296] Mumbai Port has one of the best natural harbours in the world, and has extensive wet and dry dock accommodation facilities.[297] Jawaharlal Nehru Port, commissioned on 26 May 1989, is the busiest and most modern major port in India.[298] It handles 55–60% of the country's total containerised cargo.[299] Ferries from Ferry Wharf in Mazagaon allow access to islands near the city.[300]

The city is also the headquarters of the Western Naval Command, and also an important base for the Indian Navy.[150]

Utility services

See also:
Mumbai's water sources

Under colonial rule, tanks were the only source of water in Mumbai, with many localities having been named after them. The

MCGM supplies potable water to the city from six lakes,[301][302] most of which comes from the Tulsi and Vihar lakes. The Tansa lake supplies water to the western suburbs and parts of the island city along the Western Railway.[303] The water is filtered at Bhandup,[303] which is Asia's largest water filtration plant.[304][305][306] India's first underground water tunnel was completed in Mumbai to supply water to the Bhandup filtration plant.[307][308]

About 700 million (70 crore) litres of water, out of a daily supply of 3.5 billion (350 crore) litres, is lost by way of water thefts, illegal connections and leakages, per day in Mumbai.[309] Almost all of Mumbai's daily refuse of 7,800 metric tonnes, of which 40 metric tonnes is plastic waste,[310] is transported to dumping grounds in Gorai in the northwest, Mulund in the northeast, and to the Deonar dumping ground in the east.[311] Sewage treatment is carried out at Worli and Bandra, and disposed of by two independent marine outfalls of 3.4 km (2.1 mi) and 3.7 km (2.3 mi) at Bandra and Worli respectively.[312]

Electricity is distributed by the

Mahavitaran) in the suburbs.[314] Power supply cables are underground, which reduces pilferage, thefts and other losses.[315][316]

Cooking gas is supplied in the form of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders sold by state-owned oil companies,[317] as well as through piped natural gas supplied by Mahanagar Gas Limited.[318]

The largest telephone service provider is the state-owned

CDMA services are available in the city.[320] Mumbai, along with the area served by telephone exchanges in Navi Mumbai and Kalyan is classified as a Metro telecom circle.[321] Many of the above service providers also provide broadband internet and wireless internet access in Mumbai. As of 2014, Mumbai had the highest number of internet users in India with 16.4 million (1.64 crore) users.[322]

Cityscape

An aerial view of the skyline of Downtown Mumbai as seen over the Bandra Worli Sea Link
The skyline of Tardeo as seen from Back Bay
The Skyline of Worli as viewed from Bandra

Architecture

See also: Architecture of Mumbai and Heritage structures in Mumbai

The architecture of the city is a blend of

skyscrapers and 272 under construction as of 2009
.

The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC), established in 1995, formulates special regulations and by-laws to assist in the conservation of the city's heritage structures. Mumbai has three

Central Railway and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
.