Vadala Road

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Wadala Road is a station on the Harbour Line of Mumbai's railway network. Wadala has schools such as St. Joseph's High School, Don Bosco High School and the Auxilium Convent High School. Also, some of the finest colleges like the prestigious Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (V.J.T.I)^ǂ, The University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT - The name has now been changed to University Institute of Chemical Technology, UICT) and Khalsa College are located in the same vicinity. The other schools in Wadala are NKES (North Kanara Education Society), AES (Andhra Education Society), SIWS (South Indian Welfare Society) (School & College), Bansidhar Agarwal School, Sitaram Prakash High School, Amulakh Amichand School. SNDT Womens University also has a campus in Wadala West.

Wadala is home to one of the oldest treatment center for Leprosy established during British rule, known as Ackworth Leprosy Hospital. Part of the sprawling complex is now given over to an AIDS NGO, which appears to have spent more money on fancying up the buildings than on AIDS.

In Wadala (west) there is a large open space called Five Gardens, an area which is known for its greenery. Toddlers in prams, youngsters, housewives, couples and senior citizens are seen here often to enjoy the scenic beauty and peaceful environment. At any time, you'll see people of all ages exercising and taking in the sights. Wadala also has the "rocket garden" nother park which has now undergone a transformation from its weedy days. One would also find the Central Govt Housing Quarters in Wadala West, home to the Govt employees especially the postal department.

Wadala is also home to India's first [IMAX] Dome theatre. The road to this glitzy attraction, is, paradoxically, something of a moonscape. Pothole-ridden and otherwise uneven, it makes for a sensation not incomparable with the visual novelty of the Imax theatre. And it is ironical that the road to something as upmarket as India's first dome theatre is lined with the homes of some of India's poorest. That stretch of road is like a slice of rural India, complete with clouds of dust and ramshackle auto service station.

Few know that Wadala (East) houses two cemeteries - the Baha'i Cemetery and the Chinese Cemetery. Deserted for most part of the year, these cemeteries are adjacent to each other and are surrounded by slums. These cemeteries were laid out in Wadala a long time ago, probably over 60 years ago - for the same reason that the Ackworth Leprosy Home was built at Wadala - in those days it was a distant suburb of the 'happening' city, in much the same way as Dahanu is to Mumbai today. The dargah on a hill after the bridge ends is another Wadala trademark. The Barkat Ali Dargah is a very visited holy place.

The salt pans in the east are another Wadala landmark. The people who live here are dirt poor and live in slums. Someday they won't.

Much of Wadala East is slum. Before you slam the slums, you must realize that they too need to exist, and that they too have needs. In fact, slum dwellers need to be pitied rather than censured. Many say that slumdwellers pay no taxes, but they do pay middlemen a lot of money, so it isn't as if they are getting their hovels for free. Wadala East also has the BPT (now MbPT housing colony), a large sprawling colony for the port workers, complete with jospital and many grounds where one can always see people playing the national pastime - cricket.

Wadala East also has a very popular Balaji temple, that celebrates the "Jatra" festival each year with great gusto in the month of January. It reminds one very much of a rural "mela" but was and is still very popular.

Around 15 minutes away from Wadala Station East, past deserted trucker land, is Flamingo Bay. For the past 12 years, flamingoes have been wintering here. From December to March, thousands of them descend on the mudflats a mile from the shore, to feed on the nutrient-rich marshes. Thankfully, the Bay isn't commercialized, so all you'll see on any weekend are a bunch of nature enthusiasts, keenly gazing out onto the mudflats through their binoculars. (The flamingoes don't come close to man because they're scared and wild). The Nhava Sheva bridge connecting the island to the mainland will see the destruction of their habitat, and the final flight of these beautiful birds.

ǂ – Formerly known as 'Victoria Jubilee Technological Institute' .

[edit] See also

Mumbai Suburban Railway

Wadala Road
Next station south: Sewri	Mumbai suburban railway : Central Railway (Harbour Line)			Next station north: Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar
	Stop No:8	KM from starting:?	Platforms:4

These are the stations on Central (Harbour) line of Mumbai suburban railway

Wadala Road
Next station south: Sewri	Mumbai suburban railway : Central Railway (Harbour Line)			Next station north: King's Circle
	Stop No:8	KM from starting:?	Platforms:4