Raigad district

Raigad district
रायगड जिल्हा

Location of Raigad district in Maharashtra
State Maharashtra, India
Administrative division Konkan Division
Headquarters Alibag
Area 7,148 km2 (2,760 sq mi)
Population 2,207,929 (2001)
Population density 308.89 /km2 (800.0 /sq mi)
Urban population 24.2%
Literacy 60.4%
Sex ratio 976
Tehsils 1. Alibag, 2. Pen, 3. Murud, 4. Panvel, 5. Uran, 6. Karjat, 7. Khalapur, 8. Mangaon, 9. Roha, 10. Sudhagadh, 11. Tala, 12. Mahad, 13. Mhasala, 14. Shrivardhan, 15. Poladpur
Lok Sabha Constituencies 1. Maval (shared with Pune district), 2. Raigad (shared with Ratnagiri district) (Based on Election Commission website)
Major highways NH-4, NH-17
Average annual precipitation 3,884 mm
Official website

Raigad District (Marathi: रायगड जिल्हा), also known as Raigarh District, is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Konkan region. The district was renamed after Raigad, the fort which was the former capital of the Maratha leader Shivaji, and is located in the interior regions of the district, in dense forests of the district, on a west-facing spur of the Western Ghats of Sahyadri range. The district had a population of 2,207,929 of which 24.22% were urban as of 2001.[1]

The district is bounded by Mumbai Harbour to the northwest, Thane District to the north, Pune District to the east, Ratnagiri district to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west. It includes the large natural harbor of Pen-Mandwa, which is immediately south of Mumbai harbour, and forming a single landform with it. The northern part of the district is included in the planned metropolis of Navi Mumbai, and its port, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

The district includes towns/cities of Roha, Panvel, Pen, Khopoli, Kharghar, Taloja, Khalapur, Uran, Patalganga, Rasayani, Nagothana, Poladpur, Alibag, Karjat and Mahad. The biggest city both in area and population is Panvel. The district also includes the isle of Gharapuri or Elephanta, located in Uran tehasil which has ancient Hindu and Buddhist caves.

Contents

History

Kulaba (also spelled Kolaba) district was split from Thane district in 1869. According to the 1872 census Kulaba district had a population of just over 350,000 people, with 94% of the population being Hindus, and most of the remaining population being Muslims.[2] In 1881 the population was about 382,000 with 95% of the population being Hindus.

However at this point the northernmost parts of modern Raigad district were retained in Thane district. Panvel, just across the bay from Mumbai was not put in Kolaba district until 1883, and Karjat, an area in the north-east corner of modern Raigad district was not placed in Kolaba district until 1891. Kolaba district was subsequently renamed Raigad district.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Raigad district has a population of 2,635,394,[3] roughly equal to the nation of Kuwait[4] or the US state of Nevada.[5] This gives it a ranking of 153rd in India (out of a total of 640).[3] The district has a population density of 368 inhabitants per square kilometre (950 /sq mi) .[3] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.36 %.[3] Raigad has a sex ratio of 955 females for every 1000 males,[3] and a literacy rate of 83.89 %.[3]

Several scheduled tribes live in Raigad district. Among these are the Mahadev, Koli, Katkari and Thakur.[6]

Transport

Raigad District is connected to Mumbai by Sion Panvel Expressway. The Mumbai-Pune expressway as also NH4 passes through Panvel. NH 17 also terminates here. The Konkan Railway line passes through Panvel, Roha, Mangaon and Veer. The main ports are JNPT, Mandava, Revas, Murud and Shrivardhan, The Central Railway Line of Mumbai to Pune Passes through Karjat with Extention Line for Karjat to Khopoli & Also there is New Extention of Harbour Line from Panvel to Karjat. There is a narrow gauge railroad from Neral to Matheran

University

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University is a unitary, autonomous university located at Lonere in Raigad district, Maharashtra, India. Established in 1989 under the 'Government of Maharashtra Act 1983'.

References

External links