Vashi

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Vashi is a beautiful township in the city of Navi Mumbai, and was one of the first "nodes" developed by CIDCO in the city. Unlike most other towns in the country, and in contrast to its older and larger neighbor Mumbai, Vashi was planned on paper before being constructed, as was the city of Navi Mumbai itself. It is one of two Navi Mumbai nodes that directly connect to Mumbai across Thane creek (via the Mankhurd-Vashi Bridge), the other being Airoli to the north. Vashi has grown to become the commercial heart of Navi Mumbai. In recent years, real estate prices in Vashi have risen, due in part to the creation of new businesses, and due to more businesses moving or expanding into Vashi from Mumbai. Vashi's reputation for being organized and self-sufficient, but not too large or crowded like "the big city", has led to the continued growth of its resident and commuter population.

1 History
2 Physical Characteristics
3 Economy
4 Transport
5 Infrastructure
6 Education
7 Layout
8 Law and Order
9 Resident Life
10 External links

[edit] History

See Navi Mumbai: History

[edit] Physical Characteristics

See Navi Mumbai: Physical Characteristics

[edit] Economy

Sector 17

Vashi is one of the oldest and most populated nodes in Navi Mumbai. Many companies from Mumbai and other parts of India have set up shop there. Sector 17, in turn, is the commercial heart of Vashi, hosting a dense concentration of small businesses, offices, clinics, banks, retail outlets, restaurants and franchise operations. Sectors 9 and 10 are also heavy with commercial activity, especially retail. A large APMC market, the biggest in Navi Mumbai for wholesale agricultural produce, is located in Sector 19 and part of Sector 18.[1]

The large and spacious Vashi Railway Station was built into and under the International Infotech Park, to ISO 9002 quality standards.[2] Constructed over the Vashi railway station, seven broad white towers form the International Infotech Park (IIP), a massive office complex developed by CIDCO for the purpose of supporting the information technology industry in Vashi. IIP features over 600,000 square feet of built-up space, and was inaugurated on the 14th of June, 1998. 3i Infotech, Tracmail, Satyam, Patni and Sify are among the companies who have set up offices there.[3][4].

[edit] Transport

The township, like the rest of Navi Mumbai, is divided into sectors, which are further divided into plots. As such, the address system is more organized, and the township easy to navigate compared to Mumbai. Vashi, being a planned township, features roads that intersect at right angles. LED displays on traffic signals count down to the toggle between red and green for better traffic flow efficiency.

Autorickshaws provide the primary means of personal local transportation. Travelling to other nodes by autorickshaw usually entails the payment of one-and-a-half times the regular meter fare, or some other negotiated fare hike.

Yellowtop taxicabs operating from designated taxi stands provide the means to travel further to destinations such as Mumbai and Thane; a bridge toll may be charged in addition, where applicable. Luxury and standard long-distance bus services often stop at Vashi en route to other cities and towns across the country.

The red NMMT public buses , Red and Cream BEST (BrihanMumbai Electric Supply and Transport) which are numbered 500 to 599 (connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai) and ST public buses serve as a much cheaper means of transportation. Buses starting from or passing through Vashi's own bus depot allow passengers direct and fast passage to destinations across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Some Mumbai-Vashi routes, however, drop in frequency or stop altogether at night. Starting in late 2005, new modern bus stands with seating were constructed at most bus stops across Vashi and Navi Mumbai. The route numbers for some important bus destinations that can be reached from Vashi:

1, 4, 8, 11 - Thane
100 - Mahape
501 - Kurla
505 - Sion, Bandra
504, 506 - Sion,Matunga, Dadar TT,
507-Wadala
521 - Sion,Matunga, Dadar TT, Dadar West (Plaza Theater), Shivaji Park, Prabhadevi, Worli, Haji Ali, A/C Market, End At Tardeo.
511 - Ghatkoper, Mulund
512, 513 - Airoli, Mulund
523, 524 - Powai
524 (Express) - Powai, Kandivili, Borivili
533 - Andheri, Oshiwara

Vashi is connected to Mumbai by rail on the Harbour line of the Central Railway, part of the Mumbai suburban railway. Travelling to destinations in Mumbai by rail often involves taking a train to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus first. Another rail link connects Vashi to Thane(see Transport in Thane).

[edit] Infrastructure

Sector 17

Vashi used to have near continuous power supply. As of late 2005, however, one to two hours a day of prescheduled load shedding has been enforced by MSEB, cycling among various areas of the city, in order to cope with the rising population and power consumption.

The water supply is near constant, and occasional shut downs are often short enough to be borne through by the overhead water tanks in many apartments and the central water tower system.

Road maintenance is carried out by the NMMC. Roads in the township are generally of good quality, but often get damaged by the monsoons, as potholes are simply patched up.

Broadband is available in Vashi, and the MTNL telecommunications company has offices in Sector 16-A.

[edit] Education

There are many schools and high schools in Vashi. Few of the well known schools are Navi Mumbai High School,Father Agnel Multipurpose School and Sacred Heart High School. Other well known convent schools are Saint Mary's and Saint Lawrence . There are also a few international schools like Ryan International that offer ICSE board education.

Vashi also hosts a number of colleges. Father Agnel College (formally, Father Conceicao Rodriguez Institute of Technology and Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College (formerly known as Modern College) are among the well known colleges in the node.

Various training and coaching institutes have centers in Vashi. These include NIIT, Aptech and SSI for infotech training, with Career Launcher and Unitech coaching in competitive exam preparation. Recently, The Institute for Financial Markets (IFM), a nonprofit foundation has also opened at the new BSEL tech park opposite Vashi Railway station.

The Mumbai Divisional SSC Board, one of the divisional boards of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary Education is headquartered in Vashi in Sector 16-A. Avalon Heights International School, the first school of its kind to be affiliated to the University of Cambridge International Examinations, also offers the ICSE syllabus.

[edit] Layout

Vashi is bordered by the Sion-Panvel Highway (plus the railway station) and Nerul to the south, the Thane-Belapur Road and Sanpada/Turbhe to the east, Khairane Channel and Koparkhairane to the north, and Thane creek to the west. The township center, arguably, would be Shivaji Chowk, a central square located on the Vashi-Turbhe road. It is the site of a large bronze statue of the Maratha warrior-king and folk hero Chhatrapati Shivaji on a horse, and of an upcoming museum exhibit about him. It is surrounded by Sector 17, the cineplex, the fire station and the bus depot. Well known landmarks in Sector 17 include Big Splash and Vashi Plaza.

[edit] Law and Order

See Navi Mumbai: Law and Order

Vashi has its own police station in Sector 3, but shuts down for the most part by 10pm.

[edit] Resident Life

[edit] Housing

Residents almost always live in co-operative housing societies (abbreviated to CHS). Sector-17 Vashi is the most expensive locality. These housing colonies often contain a number of multi-storeyed apartment building wings, internal or external parking space, gardens or flower patches, and a surrounding wall with one or more gates. CHS residents form committees to collect and spend funds for common maintenance, social activities, and hiring of security guard services. Some sectors are endowed with public parks as well.

[edit] Shopping

As of the end of 2005, there is only one mall in Vashi, called Center One, located near the railway station. It hosts a variety of large and small retailers, including Pantaloons and Food Bazaar, as well as a number of fast food joints and franchises. Two new mall complexes along Palm Beach Marg, Palm Beach Galleria and [[City Center (Vashi)|City Center](alpha)], are under construction and slated to open in the near future.

Shopping in or strolling around Sector 17 is a popular activity for residents and visitors. The area is packed with retail outlets selling everything from furniture and fixtures to clothing and electronics. It hosts many restaurants and bars, mithai shops, fast food franchises like McDonald's and Domino's, popular vegetarian restaurants like Navratna, as well as franchises of Monginis, Cafe Coffee Day and the like. Sectors 9 and 10 along the main road are also major commercial and retail areas.

[edit] Entertainment

The Meghraj/Meghdoot cinema halls are the only large movie theater complexes in the node, and show mainly Bollywood fare, aside from the occasional Hollywood film. A new modern cineplex is due to open as part of the aforementioned City Center mall. Clubs at the Marine Centre, Abbot Hotel, Vashi Gymkhana etc. host dances and shows.Raguleela is an upcomming mall which will be located near vashi railway station.

NMSA - Navi Mumbai Sports Asscociation is a CIDCO owned enterprise providing various Sports Facilities like Tennis, Carrom, Badminton ,Chess, Swimming, Squash. Membership is offered in categories like Patron, Life , General and Student Membership.
RCNB - Rotaract Club of New Bombay is an active Youth Club in New Bombay. It is a youth wing of Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai. Individuals between age 18-30 can be a part of this organisation. Rotaractors generally meet every Sunday at Rotary Center, Sector-6, vashi.

[edit] Mini Seashore

A strip of land in Vashi along the coast of Thane creek has been developed as a park and is popularly known as the "Mini Seashore" or "Seaside Park". The park is separated from the creek by a large holding pond, which is surrounded by a path that is used as a walking/jogging track. Residents of Vashi and nearby nodes frequent this area for recreation, relaxation and exercise. Hundreds walk or run along the track and over the embankment of the holding pond everyday. Local laughter clubs and tennis enthusiasts can be seen utilizing the park in the mornings. Paddle boats are rented out for use within the outer pond. Children's rides, horseback riding and vendors of chaat or other refreshments are a common sight along the Mini Seashore in the evenings, which is when families tend to visit and the overall footfall is at its peak.

[edit] Other

Vashi has a number of health and fitness clubs such as Talwalkar and Gracilite. Many clinics and hospitals take care of the residents' healthcare needs, such as Lakshdeep Hospital, NMMC Hospital and MGM Hospital. Places of worship for Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Christians are located around the township, as are cultural centers of the various ethnicities of immigrants from other parts of India.

[edit] Sectors

Vashi is broken down into what are known as "Sectors". Each sector has it own "mini-market" with shops that sell basic items such as rice, pulses, candy. Some bigger sectors even have shops selling garments. Sector-17 is one of the large sectors of Vashi and is located near the highway which happens to be the entrance to Vashi. It's very close to Vashi Railway Station. Sector 9 is home to Sacred Heart Church ( Roman Catholic Church ). Sectors 6, 7 and 8 in Vashi are home to Row Houses while Sector 8 also has bungalows. Sector 8 is located close to the place from where hovercrafts would land and take off.

[edit] External links

Vashi
Next station south: Mankhurd	Mumbai suburban railway : Central Railway (Harbour Line)			Next station north: Sanpada
	Stop No:16	KM from starting:28.91	Platforms:4

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

Nodes of the city of Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, India

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Categories: Mumbai neighbourhoods | Railway stations in Mumbai | Navi Mumbai | Cities and towns in Maharashtra