| Voice of Thane : Dr.
Anil K. Luniya
Educational facilities are lacking in many parts of district.
Even though formal education is being given, non-formal education
is lacking. Soft skills are not being developed among the rural
children. We provide them many other inputs on how to become successful
in life. Considering the health status, malnutrition is the fundamental
problem among tribal people. Alcoholism is also the major problem
among tribals. Entire money earned is lost on alcoholic practices
and smoking. Our objective is to bring up the nutritional level
of the children, and to get them into formal education.
Thane
District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 9558.0 Km2
Population in Thane(Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 11054131
Male : 5879387
Female : 5174744
Under 6 population
Total : 1257080
Male : 655354
Female : 601726
Disabled
population
Total disabled population : 70407
In seeing : 18348
In speech : 6349
In hearing : 3911
In movement : 28115
Mental : 13684
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : 110
Sex Ratio Rank : 59
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : A
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Disability : 60 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 47 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Villages in Adilabad district
Visit
villages
Year 2001 data in old format
Brief about Thane
District
Villages in Thane Distriact
Thane (formerly Thana) is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of
the Mumbai Conurbation, northeast of Mumbai at the head of the
Thane Creek.
History
(Ancient Shreestanak to the ultra modern Thane
city) The city of Thane is situated on the western banks of Thane
creek with Parsik hills on the east and Yeour hills on the west.
The creek not only provides a natural protection to the place
but has also facilitated transport of big and small ships since
ancient times. This has also acted as an impetus for the development
of local and international trade since the pre-historic times.
Besides being the stamping ground of the pre-historic tribes,
Thane city has a rich cultural heritage, mythological background,
followed by a large number of events of historical importance
, archeological collectives that have contributed to the enrichment
of the history of Thane city. The existence of Thane city appears
in the global history since the 9th century A.D. The city was
then know as Shreesthanak. It was more popularly known as the
Capital of the Shilahar dynasty. The history of Thane city can
be broadly categorized into 5 eras. Vedic period to 1300 A.D.
: Comprising of Hindu or ancient period, Aparant , Shilahar and
Bimba Dynasty. 1300 –1660 A.D. : Mohamedan and Portuguese Rule.
1660-1800 A.D. : Maratha and Portuguese Rule. 1800-1947 A.D. :
British Rule. 1947-till date : Post Independence Thane. ‘Aparant’
is the ancient name of the geographical area hosting Thane city.
During the Indian expedition of the Greek Emperor Alexander, a
number of philosophers, historians and geographists visited India.
Among them a Greek historian ‘Tolemi’ has mentioned about the
city of Thane in his writings. A famous sailor named Marcopolo
had also visited Thane in 1290 A.D. and noted it to be one of
the best cities in the world. A place called ‘Ghodbunder’ was
famous for horse trading thus deriving its name from the word
ghoda i.e. horse and bunder meaning port. During this period a
fabric called ‘Tansi’ was exported from Thane. During the period
from 13 A.D. to 17 A.D., the Muslims, Portuguese, Marathas, &
the British dynasties ruled Thane. From 810 A.D. to 1260 A.D.
the Shilahar Dynasty ruled over Thane. The Emperors of Shilahar
dynasty were disciples of Lord Shiva and the Kopineshwar Temple
has been built during their reign. During this period, due to
the secular attitude and tolerance of Shilahars towards different
religions, a large number of people from different communities
like Parsis , Christians, Muslims and Jews settled down in Thane,
thus sowing seeds of a cosmopolitan city. At this time the Shilahars
also divided the city into different sections and named them as
‘padas’. It is seen that these padas exist even today by names
of Naupada, Patlipada, Agripada etc. In the earlier part of the
12th Century A.D. with a view to create a new township, King Bimbadev,
alongwith 66 segments of his community came over and settled in
Thane. In 1480 A.D. ‘Sultan Mehmood’ of Gujarat made Thane the
Capital of his ‘Subha’ Province. St. John the Baptist Church was
constructed in Thane in 1663 A.D. The construction work of famous
Thane Killa (Fort) was started in 1730 A.D. In 1737 A.D. Chimaji
Appa the Maratha Sardar planned the ‘Conquest of Vasai’ and on
28th March, 1738 the Marathas conquered the Thane Killa. The fort
is presently being used as ‘Thane Central Jail’. The Portuguese
ruled Thane for over 200 years from 1530 to 1739 A.D. During this
period Thane was known as “Kalabe De Tana”. In the year 1744 the
British conquered Thane city alongwith its fort. The famous Kopineshwar
Temple was renovated in the year 1760. In 1778 the palatial residence
of the Peshwas was converted into the Court building. In the year
1780 Keshavji Sorabji Rustomji Patel constructed the first Parsi
Agyari in Thane. The first District Court was established in the
year 1803 A.D. The Thane Borough Municipality was established
on 10th March 1863. The first ever railway train was started on
16th April, 1853 from Boribunder to Thane, giving Thane the honour
of hosting an event of historical importance in the city. In the
year 1880 the Thane Borough Municipality spent Rs. 12,960/- on
construction of the Pokharan Lake, to make use of the lake water
for drinking purpose. This prestigious project was inaugurated
by the then Governor of Mumbai, Sir Ferguson James. The first
elections of the Municipality were conducted in the year 1885.
The first newspaper in Thane was launched in the year 1866. Different
Marathi magazines like Arunodaya, Survodaya, Vakilancha Sathi,
Nyaylahari, Manohar, Dyanapradip, Dyanadipika were seen to be
in circulation thus showing the importance of the print media
during that period. The first census took place in the year 1881
and the population of Thane at the time was 14,456. The Jain temple
of Thane was built in the year 1879. The first ever English medium
school was started in 1821 and was named as ‘Thane English School’.
In the year 1893, the first Marathi Library was established. In
1896 the birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj was celebrated for
the first time in Thane. In June 1897 Lokmanya Tilak visited Thane.
On 19th April, 1910 noted freedom fighters like Veer Anant Laxman
Kanhere, Gopal Krishnaji Karve & Vinayak Narayan Deshpande were
hanged till death in the Central Jail for killing the then Nasik
District Collector Jackson. In 1938 noted freedom fighter Veer
Savarkar was felicitated by the citizens of Thane after his release
from the British confinement. In 1920 a road near Masunda lake
was named after Dr. F.A. Moose for the commemorative service during
the epidemic of plague. A reputed citizen of Thane Shri Vithal
Sayanna’s son Divan Bahadur Narayan Sayanna reconstructed the
Civil Hospital building in 1935. The first Independence Day of
India –15th August, 1947 was celebrated in Thane by bringing down
the British Union Jack and hoisting the tri-coloured flag of India
at the hands of a noted freedom fighter Shri Nanasaheb Joshi at
the District Collector’s Office. With a view to preserve the rich
cultural heritage of Thane, the Thane Municipal Council constructed
Rangayatan, a drama theatre, named after the noted Marathi writer
Shri Ram Ganesh Gadkari. The theatre has been hosting different
plays and cultural programmes since then. The Thane Municipal
Corporation was established on 1st October, 1982. It had a population
of 7,90,000 as per the 1990 Census. The population has reached
to about 14,00,000 in the year 2003. The Thane Municipal Corporation
has undertaken many developmental projects and schemes since 1982
for a balanced development of the city. One of major projects
is the Integrated Road Development Project. Taking in view the
all round infrastructural development which has recently taken
place in Thane , the Govt. of India conferred the prestigious
‘Clean City Award’ to Thane in the year 2000.
Geography
Thane is located to the North of Mumbai (Bombay,
Maharashtra,India). Although being a district place, the city
has always been shadowed by the existence of the metropolis just
on its outskirts .Spanned over an area of about 147 km², this
city houses over 10 Lakh (1 million) people. A total of 200 km
of roads run through the city. The city is surrounded by scenic
hills, which add to its beauty. The Hill of Yeoor is considered
to be the hill station for the Thaneyites. On the other hand is
the Parsik Hill. The city is divided by Thane Creek, a stream
of water from the Arabian Sea. Two road bridges & one rail bridge
connect the two parts of the city
Location 30 km North East of Mumbai on
the western coast of India. Also close to Navi Mumbai Airoli node
via the Thane-Belapur road TB road for short
Weather
Typical coastal sultry & humid
Rainfall - Average 250 to 300 mm beginning
of June to end of September.
Temperature - Average - 32 - 37 °C
Humidity - 45% to 87% highest in month
of August.
Altitude Plains at sea level
Population 1.55 million (Year 2003) Area
48 km²
1. LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES
This district lies in the north-west of Maharashtra
State.
Nashik and Ahmadnagar districts are to the east
of Thane district, Raigad district to the south and Pune district
to the south-east, Mumbai suburban district is to the south-west.
The Arabian Sea is to the west, whereas Gujarat state and Dadra
and Nagar Haveli territory are to the north of this district.
2. LAND FORMS
There are different land forms in Thane District.
The western part of the district is a plain whereas Tunger, JIvadhan,
Tandulwadi, Takmak, etc., are hills. The Sahyadri mountain is
on the eastern boundary of the district. The Jawhar-Mokhade plateau
is in the north-easten part of the district.
The different land forms in a region constitute
its physical set-up. If we consider the physical set-up of Thane
District, we see that there are three physical divisions.
a) The Mountainous Region of the Sahyadris:-
The Sahyadri ranges contitute the eastern part
of the district. Parts of Murbad, Shahapur, Jawhar, Mokhade and
Vikramgad talukas form this region.
b) The River Basins -
The central part of this district is mostly a
lowlying area. Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Wade, Dahanu, Ulhasnagar, Ambarnath
and Talasari Talukas form this region.
c) Coastal Region:
The western part of the district is a coastal
plain. Dahanu, Palghar, Vasai, and Thane talukas make up this
region.
Roads going eastwards towards Nashik district
pass through Shirghat and Thalghat situated in the district. Naneghat
is on the border of Pune district towards the south-east. It hasw
been an important road for transportation right from the early
days. The Arnala fort in Thane district is well-known.
3) RIVERS:
Vaitarna and Ulhas are the two main rivers in
Thane district.
Vaitarna River:
This river flows across Shahapur, Wade and Palghar
talukas and meets the Arabian Sea. Dahreja, Surya and Tansa are
the tributaries of the Vaitarna. The Datiware creek in Palghar
taluka is near the mouth of the Vaitarna river.
Ulhas River:
The river Ulhas enters Thane district through
the neighbouring Raigad distrct. This river has its source in
the Borghat and meets the Arabian Sea at the Vasai creek. Barbi,
Bhatsai are its tributaries. The Ulhas river branches out in two
directions near Thane. The western distributary of this river
flows into the Vasai creek and the southern distributary flows
into the Thane creek.
4) CLIMATE:
The Arabian Sea is to the wesxt of Thane district.
That is why the climate of the district is generally hot and humid.
The mountainous region receives more rainfall
than the coastal region. Jawhar, Wade, Shahapur, Murbad, Vikramgad
and Thane talukas receive more rain than the other talukas. Jawhar
and Suryamal are the hill-stations in our district.
5) WATER SUPPLY:
Wells, lakes and rivers are the sources of water
supply in Thane district. There are more wells in Vasai, Palghar
and Dahanu areas. There are bunds on the Surya, Vandri, Pelhar,
Ulhas and Murbadi rivers. There is a dam across the Vandri river
in Palghar taluka. The important dams in the district are Vaitarna,
Tansa and Bhatsa where there are huge reservoirs. Water supply
to the city of Mumbai is made from some of the lakes in Thane
district. Water from the rivers Ulhas and Barbi is supplies to
the industrial belt in the south and to New Mumbai.
6) NATURAL WEALTH:
a) Forest Wealth -
There are forests in the hilly region of Thane
district. There are thick forests in Dahanu, Shahpur, Palghar,
Jawhar, Wade and Mokhade talukas. Sissoo, teak, ain, khair, palas,
pangara trees grow in these forests. Other trees such as banyan,
mango, tamarind, coconut are also found here. Casuarina and eucalyptus
trees have been planted on the sea-coast. The Tansa sanctuary
is in this district. We find wild animals like leopards and sambhars
in this sanctuary.
b) Mineral Wealth -
Bauxite deposits are found in the Tungar hills
in Vasai taluka.
Sand which is useful in the construction of houses
is found in the bed of the Ulhas river in the Thane creek. Mumbra
is a port where sand is obtained.
Black rock called basalt is found in Kalyan,
Ambarnath, Vasai and Thane talukas. It is used in the construction
of houses and roads.
c) Marine Wealth-
Fishing is carried on along the sea coast. Uttan,
Arnala, Mahim, Satpati, Chinchani, Dahanu, etc., are ports famous
for fishing.
Vasai High mineral oilfield is located in the
sea.
There are many salt pans at Vasai, Bhaindar,
Dahanu and other places. Conches and shells are also obtained
from the sea.
7) CROPS:
a) Kharif Crops
The important kharif crops from the district
are rice, vari and nachani. Urad, moong, kulith are some other
crops grown in this season.
b) Rice
Rice is the main crop of the district. Rice is
grown mainly in Palghar, Bhiwandi, Murbad, Shahapur, Wade, Vikramgad
and Dahanu talukas. Rice is grown in the other talukas also.
c) Vari and Nachani
Vari and nachani are grown in the hilly region
of the east. These crops are grown mainly in Jawhar, Murbad, Vikramgad,
Shahapur and Mokhade talukas.
d) Rabi Crops
Wal, chavali and gram are the crops grown in
the rabi season.
e) Irrigated Crops and Fruits:
Irrigated crops are grown in Dahanu, Palghar
and Vasai talukas. Dahanu taluka is famour for fruits. Chikkus
are grown on a large scale at Gholwad. Chikku orchards are also
found in Palghar and Talasari areas. Chikkus grown in these areas
are sent all over India. Other crops include guavas, mangoes,
papayas, grapefruits and coconuts. Vasai and Palghar are famous
for different varieties of bananas such as rajeli, tambeli, mutheli
and velchi. There are rose gardens at Dahanu. Other varieties
of fruits such as bor, wild beries and lychees grow in particular
seasons. There is a great demand for these fruits in the Mumbai
market.
Vegetables are also grown in our district. Among
the vegetables, bringals are grown on a large scale.
8) INDUSTRIES:
From the point of view of industries, Thane is
an important district of Maharashtra state. There are many large
scale and small scale industries in the district.
There are different types of textile industries
at Thane and in the neighbouring areas. There are cotton and woollen
textile mills at Thane. Silk yarn and cloth are made in Bhiwandi.
There are a large number of powerlooms at Bhiwandi. There is a
factory making artificial silk (yarn) at Mohane.
There are many factories manufacturing various
articles from iron and steel in the Thane-Belapur belt. There
are factories manufacturing different types of machines and other
metal equipment at Thane. Kalyan and Dahanu each have a factory
where spare parts of motor-cars are manufactured. There are pharmaceutical
and chemical factories at Ambarnath, Bhaindar and Thane. There
are paint and chemical factories at Thane and Bhaindar. There
is a paper mill too at Thane. Plastic goods are manufactured at
Ulhasnagar and Bhaindar.
There are matchbox factories at Ambarnath and
Thane. There are canning factories for the canning of various
type of foodstuff, fruit juice and slices at well as beverage
factories at Thane and Kalyan. There is a big milk project at
Dapchari, Saralgaon and Pali have milk chilling centres. There
are rice mills at Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Dahanu. Bangle making factories
are found in Tarapur and Chinchani areas.
The first neclar power plant in India was set
up at Tarapur in Thane district.
In addition, there are a number of factores manufacturing
electrical equipment at Thane and Ulhasnagar.
There are industrial estates at Ambarnath, Kalyan,
Bhiwandi, Thane-Belapur, Badlapur, Mira, Tarapur and Murbad in
Thane district.
9) TRADE AND TRANSPORT:
The modes of transport in Thane district are
roads, railways and waterways.
We find many roads and railways here as Thane
district lies close to Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban districts
and as industry has grown from Mumbai towards Thane.
National Highways : Three national highways pass
through Thane district.
Mumbai-Agra National Highway : This highway starts
from Mumbai. The important places from Thane district on this
highway are Thane, Bhiwandi, Shahpur, Khardi.
Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway: This Highway
starts from Mumbai. A big bridge is built on the Thane creek on
this highway. This highway then proceeds from Vashi to Bangalore
via Panvel ijn Raigad district.
Mumbai-Ahmadabad National Highway: Ghodbandar,
Manor, Talasari, etc., from this district are on this highway.
There are also other roads in the district connecting
other places.
Railways : Three main railway lines pass through
Thane district. The first railway line in India. from Mumbai to
Thane, was laid in this district.
Mumbai-Chennai Railway Line: Starting from Mumbai,
this railway line goes to Chennai via Thane, Dombivli, Kalyan,
Ulhasnagar, Ambarnath, Badlapur stations in the district.
Mumbai-Kolkata Railwaqy Line : Thane, Kalyan,
Shahad, Titwala, Asangaon, Khardi and Kasara railway stations
are on this railway route.
Mumbai-Delhi Railway LIne : This railway goes
to Delhi from Mumbai via vadodara in Gujarat state. The following
railway stations from Thane district are located on this line
: Bhaindar, Vasai Road, Nalasopara, Virar, Palghar, Dahanu Road
and Gholwad.
Kalyan, Diva and Vasai Road are the railway junctions
in the district.
Local Transport : Local transport facility has
been proved ona large scale for the people from Thane district
to go to Mumbai and various suburbs as also to places in Thane
district. Local transport is useful for travelling to and from
offices, factories, educational institutions, etc., as well as
for business.
Trains used for local transport are called local
trains. They run on electricity. Local trains leaving from Chhatrapati
Shivaji Terminus go upto Kalyan, Ambarnath and Kasara in Thane
district. Local trains leaving from Churchage railway station
go upto Dahanu in the district. One railway line goes from Diva
upto Panvel in Raigad district in the south. Trains have now started
plying from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai upto Panvel.
In addition lto this, buses also carry the local
traffic in Mumbai-Thane-Kalyan cities.
Waterways: Thane district is near the sea. So
the coastal traffic in the district is carried by sea. Creeks
are also used for transport. Dahanu, Satpati, Mahim. Kalyan, Vasai,
Uttan, etc., are the ports in the district.
Trade: Wood for building cojnstruction, coal,
honey, salt, fish, fruits, vegetables, etc., are sent to other
places from the distrct. Cotton, iron, sugar, fertilizers, medicines,
kerosene, etc., are brought into the district from other districts
or states.
10) LIFE OF THE ADIVASIS
The hilly region consisting of Mokhade, Jawhar,
Talasari, Dahanu, Wade, Vikramgad, Shahapur and Murbad talukas
is in the north and north-east of Thane district. Adivasis live
in this hilly region. They are known by the following names :
Warli, Katkari, Thakar, Malhar koli, Dhodia and Dubla.
11) SOME IMPORTANT PLACES
There are a number of important places in Thane
district -
Thane: Thane is the district headquarters.
There are many industries here. There are cotton and woollen textile
mills. Also, there are factories manufacturing paper, paints,
metal equipment, machinery and iron goods. The Kopineshwar temple
of Thane is famous.
Kalyan: This place is the taluka headquarters
and the main railway junction. There are rice mills here as also
factories making car spare parts. Sand, bricks and rice are sent
out from here by waterways. The Hajimalang dargah is situated
on Malangagad hill nearby.
Bhiwandi: This town is situated on the
Mumbai-Agra highway. This place is famous for its handlooms and
powerlooms. Carpets and silk fabric are made here. Machinery for
rice mills is also manufactured here. There are rice mills and
timber marts in Bhiwandi.
Ambarnath : This taluka headquarters is
situated on the Mumbai-Pune railway line. There are factories
manufacturing chemicals, matchboxes, explosives and watches. The
ancient Shivalaya of Ambarnath is worth visiting.
Ulhasnagar: This is the taluka headquarters.
This town is situated in the Ulhas river basin. It has factories
making radio sets and plastic goods.
Jawhar : This is the taluka headquarters.
This place is on the Nashik-Dahanu road. As it is situated on
a high plateau, it is known as a hill-station.
Dapchari: There are dairy facility (Gawaliwada)
at Dapchari for adivasis. A milk project has also been developed
here on a large scale.
Kase : It has a Sarvodaya Kendra for adivasis.
Manor : This place is situated on the
banks of the Vaitarna river. It is a junction of Mumbai-Ahmadabad
and Palghar-Wade roadways. That is why it has become a transport
centre.
Vajreshwari : Vajreshwari is famous for
its hot water springs. Hot water springs are also found Ganeshpuri,
Akloli, Datiware and Kokner.
Virar : This is an important place in
Vasai taluka. Local trains from Mumbai travel upto this station.
The Arnala port is located nearby, Arnala fort is well-known.
Vashi : New Mumbai beyond the Thane creek
is a planned city. Vashi, the main town, is known as Vashinagar.
Dombivli : This is an important centre
on the Central Railway. There are various industries here.
Bhaindar : This is an important centre
on the Western Railway. There are many salt pans here. There are
also factories manufacturing chemicals, paints, plastic articles
and medicines.
Mokhade : This place is the taluka headquarters.
The hill-station Suryamal is nearby.
Vasai : Vasai on the Western Railway is
the taluka headquarters. There are a famous historical fort here.
There are also banana and betel-leaf plantations. There is a factory
making fountain pens.
Palghar : Palghar is the taluka headquarters.
There is a nuclear power plant at Tatapur which is nearby.
Dahanu : This place is the taluka headquarters.
There are chikku and rose gardens here. It is a fishing port.
There are factories manufacturing iron water drawing wheels and
car spare parts. Also, there are rice mills. A special kind of
jaggery (tadgul) is made from the sap of the palm tree. Small
boats too are built here.
Satpati : This port is famous for fishing.
Vikramgad : This is the taluka headquarters.
Talasari, Shahapur, Murbad, Wade are taluka
headquarters. They are developing gradually. There is a Vitthal-Rakhumai
temple at Shahad and a Ganapati temple at Titwala.
Projects
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