Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The name Bollywood is a portmanteau of Bombay

The name Bollywood is a portmanteau of Bombay andHollywood.[281] The 2000s saw a growth in Bollywood's popularity overseas. This led filmmaking to new heights in terms of quality, cinematography and innovative story lines as well as technical advances such as special effects and animation.[282] Sony VAIO PCG-7162M Battery Studios in Goregaon, including Film City, are the location for most movie sets.[283] The city also hosts the Marathi film industry which has seen increased popularity in recent years, and TV production companies. Schools in Mumbai are either "municipal schools" (run by the BMC) or private schools (run by trusts or individuals), Sony VAIO PCG-7181M Battery which in some cases receive financial aid from the government.[284] The schools are affiliated either with the Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE), The all-India Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) or theCentral Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) boards.[285] Sony VAIO PCG-41112M Battery Marathi or English is the usual language of instruction.[286] The government run public schools lack many facilities, but are the only option for poorer residents who cannot afford the more expensive private schools.[287] Under the 10+2+3/4 plan, students complete ten years of schooling and then enroll for two years in junior college, Sony VAIO PCG-7153M Battery where they select one of three streams: arts, commerce, or science.[288] This is followed by either a general degree course in a chosen field of study, or a professional degree course, such as law, engineering and medicine.[289] Most colleges in the city are affiliated with theUniversity of Mumbai, one of the largest universities in the world in terms of the number of graduates.[290] Sony VAIO PCG-71312M Battery The Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay),[291] Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI),[292] University Institute of Chemical Technology (UICT)[293] which are India's premier engineering and technology schools, and SNDT Women's University are the other autonomous universities in Mumbai.[294] Sony VAIO PCG-7144M Battery Grant Medical College established in 1845 and Seth G.S. Medical College are the leading medical institutes affiliated with Sir Jamshedjee Jeejeebhoy Group of Hospitals and KEM Hospital respectively. Mumbai is also home to National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Sony VAIO PCG-7191L Battery Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), S P Jain Institute of Management and Research and several other management schools.[295] Government Law College and Sydenham College, respectively the oldest law and commerce colleges in India, are based in Mumbai.[296][297] The Sir J. J. School of Art is Mumbai's oldest art institution.[298] Sony VAIO PCG-3C1M Battery Mumbai is home to two prominent research institutions: the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).[299] The BARC operates CIRUS, a 40 MW nuclear research reactor at their facility in Trombay. Sony VAIO PCG-3F1M Battery Cricket is one of the most popular sport in the city. Due to a shortage of grounds, various modified versions (generally referred to as gully cricket) are played everywhere. Mumbai is also home to the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI)[301] and Indian Premier League (IPL).[302] Sony VAIO PCG-3H1M Battery The Mumbai cricket team represents the city in the Ranji Trophy and has won 39 titles, the most by any team.[303] The city is also represented by the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. The city has two international cricket grounds, the Wankhede Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium. Sony VAIO PCG-3J1M Battery The first cricket test match in India was played in Mumbai at Bombay Gymkhana.[304] The biggest cricketing event to be staged in the city so far is the finalof the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup which was played at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai and London are the only two cities to have hosted both a World Cup final and the final of an ICC Champions Trophy which was played at the Brabourne Stadium in2006.[305] Sony VAIO PCG-8141M Battery Football is another popular sport in the city, with the FIFA World Cup and the English Premier League being followed widely.[306] In the I-League (matches in the city are played at the Cooperage Ground), the city is represented by three teams, Mumbai FC,[307] Mahindra United[308] and Air-India.[309] Sony VAIO PCG-8161M Battery Mumbai is home to the Mumbai Marines and Mumbai Magicians in the World Series Hockey and Hockey India League respectively . When the Elite Football League of India was introduced in August 2011, Mumbai was noted as one of eight cities to be awarded a team for the inaugural season. Sony VAIO PCG-3C2M Battery Named the Mumbai Gladiators, the team's first season will be played in Pune in late 2012,[310] and it will be Mumbai's first professionalAmerican football franchise.[311] Every February, Mumbai holds derby races at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Mcdowell's Derby is also held in February at the Turf club in Mumbai.[312] Sony VAIO PCG-5N2M Battery In March 2004, the Mumbai Grand Prix was part of the F1 powerboat world championship.[313] and the Force India F1 team car was unveiled in the city, in 2008.[314] The city is planning to build its own F1 track and various sites in the city were being chalked out, of which the authorities have planned to zero down on Marve-Malad or Panvel-Kalyan land. Sony VAIO PCG-5P1M Battery If approved, the track will be clubbed with a theme park and will spread over 400 to 500 acres (202 ha).[315] In 2004, the annual Mumbai Marathon was established as a part of "The Greatest Race on Earth". Mumbai has also played host to theKingfisher Airlines Tennis Open, an International Series tournament of the ATP World Tour, in 2006 and 2007.Sony  VAIO VGN-FZ31M Battery Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the commercial and entertainment capital of India. It is also the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,[1] Mumbai accounts for slightly more than 6% of India's economy contributing 10% of factory employment, Sony Vaio VGN-FZ19VN Battery 30% of income tax collections, 60% of customs dutycollections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade and rupees 40,000 crore (US $10 billion) in corporate taxes to the Indian economy.[2] Headquarters of a number of Indian financial institutions such as the Bombay Stock Exchange, Sony Vaio VGN-FZ39VN Battery Reserve Bank of India, National Stock Exchange, the Mint, as well as numerous Indian companies such as the Tata Group, Essel Group and Reliance Industries are located in Mumbai. Most of these offices are located in downtown South Mumbai which is the nerve centre of the Indian economy. Sony Vaio VGN-FZ39VN Battery Many foreign establishments also have their branches in the South Bombay area. Mumbai is the world's 29th largest city by GDP.[3] Mumbai was ranked among the fastest cities in India for business startup in 2009.[4] As of 2009-10, Mumbai enjoys a Per Capita Income of $ 2,845. Sony Vaio VGN-FZ31ZR Battery This is 16.6% higher than 2008-09 levels of $ 2,440. In PPP dollars, Mumbai had a Per Capita Income of $ 7,050 as of 2009-10 fiscal. In the recent years Mumbai is experiencing rapid growth. By 2020-21 fiscal, Mumbai's GDP Per capita at PPP is expected to reach US$ 23,000, making it South Asia's richest city. Sony Vaio VGN-FZ31SR Battery Mumbai has traditionally owed its prosperity largely to its textile mills and its seaport till the 1980s. These are now increasingly being replaced by industries employing more skilled labour such as engineering, diamond polishing, healthcare and information technology. Mumbai is also the primary financial centre for India, Sony Vaio VGN-FZ31ER Battery hosting both the major Indian stock exchanges (BSE and The National Stock Exchange), brokerages, asset management companies (including majority of the mutual fund companies), headquarters of most Indian state-owned and commercial banks, as well as the financial & monetary regulatory authorities of India (SEBI and RBI among other institutions). Sony Vaio VGN-NR31E/S Battery As Mumbai is the state capital, government employees make up a large percentage of the city's workforce. Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled labour population, who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics and other such proletarian professions. Sony Vaio VGN-NR31ER/S Battery The port and shipping industry too employs many residents directly and indirectly. Like most metropolitan cities, Mumbai also has a large influx of people from rural areas looking for employment.The entertainment industry is the other major employer in Mumbai. Most of India's television and satellite networks are located in Mumbai, as well as the major publishing houses. Sony Vaio VGN-NR31J/S Battery A large number of the Hindi and English television shows are produced in Mumbai. The Hindi movie industry, known by some as Bollywood, is also located in Mumbai, along with the largest studios and production houses. To add to this, most major advertising companies operating in India also have their primary office in Mumbai. Sony Vaio VGN-NR31MR/S Battery Mumbai is home to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and most of India's specialized, technical industries, having a modern industrial infrastructure and vast, skilled human resources. Rising venture capital firms, start-ups and established brands work in aerospace, optical engineering, Sony Vaio VGN-NR31S/S Battery medical research, information technology, computers and electronic equipment of all varieties, shipbuilding and salvaging, renewable energy and power. Mumbai is also home to the Western fleet of the Indian Navy, key to India's maritime security. Public transport in Mumbai involves the transport of millions of its citizens by train, road and water. Over 88%[1] of the commuters in Mumbai use public transport (suburban trains or buses). Sony Vaio VGN-NR31SR/S Battery It is the most convenient, efficient and cheap form of transport to a population which is dense to such an extent. Mumbai has the largest organised bus transport network among major Indian cities. But the train network is constantly struggling to cope with the growing population. A train compartment is usually filled with over three times its designed capacity. Sony Vaio VGN-NR31Z/S Battery The Bombay Tramway Company Limited was formally set up in 1873. After a contract was entered into between the Bombay Tramway Company and the municipality, the Bombay Presidency enacted the Bombay Tramways Act, 1874, under which the Company was licensed to run a tramway service in the city. Sony Vaio VGN-NR31Z/T Battery The tram-cars were of two kinds—those drawn by one horse and those drawn by two. In 1905, a newly formed concern, The Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Company Limited, bought the Bombay Tramway Company and the first electrically operated tram-car appeared on Bombay's roads in 1907. Sony Vaio VGN-NR31ZR/S Battery The passing years aggravated the problem of rush-hour traffic and to ease the situation, double decker trams were introduced in September, 1920. Bombay saw its first bus run on 15 July 1926 between Afghan Church and Crawford Market. The people of Bombay received the bus with enthusiasm, but it took quite some time before this means of conveyance really established itself. Sony Vaio VGN-NR38E/S Battery For several years, it was looked upon as transport for the upper middle class. Those were the days when the tram was the poor man's transport; it carried one all the way from Sassoon Dock to Dadar for a mere anna and a half, that was nine paise. The bus fare for the same journey was four annas, that is 25 paise. Sony Vaio VGN-NR38M/S Battery In response to the pleas made by the Government and the Bombay Municipal Corporation, the Company extended its services to the northern part of the city in 1934. Double deck buses were introduced in 1937 in order to cope better with the growing traffic. The first Limited Bus service in Bombay, and probably the first in the country as well, started running in 1940 between Colaba and Mahim. Sony Vaio VGN-NR38S/S Battery Pursuant to the option given to it under the Deed of Concession granted to the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramways Co. Ltd, the Bombay Municipal Corporation acquired on 7 August 1947, the assets of the combined Undertaking, namely the operation of tramways and distribution of electricity in the city of Bombay as a going concern. Sony Vaio VGN-NR38Z/S Battery By mutual agreement, the Corporation also took over the operation of the bus services, which was run by the B.E.S. & T. Company Ltd.Thus, the Bombay Electric Supply and Transport Company was municipalised and came to be known as Bombay Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking.When the corporation took over the Company in 1947, there were 242 buses in operation on 23 routes and these buses carried 238,000 passengers per day. Sony Vaio VGN-NR38Z/T Battery At present, there are 4,680 buses[2] carrying 480,000 passengers[3] daily on 400+ routes. With the change in the name of the city from Bombay to Mumbai, the organisation is now known as The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking. Some interesting facts of present-day BEST BusSony Vaio VGN-NR31E/S Battery
  • BEST has introduced semi deluxe and Air-conditioned services on certain routes.
  • From 19 November 2004, Route Special 8 plying from Churchgate to World Trade Centre started accepting cashless smart cards for Automatic Fare Collection in BEST buses.
BEST currently has 1500+ environment friendly CNG (compressed natural gas) buses on its fleet and plans to increase the number of buses. Sony VPCW11S1E/P Battery
  • On August 18, 2005, BEST introduced the first lot of disabled-friendly buses(five buses with special wheel chair-accessible low floors) into its service.
Due to the 7/11 bombings, BEST installed an audio-visual surveillance system (CCTV) on each of its buses to monitor suspicious behaviour aboard its vehicles. Sony VPCW11S1E/P Battery
  • Almost all buses have two LCD TV's per bus. BEST Buses are most maintained buses.
The AC Buses - AS series are very popular with Office goers. AC Bus "AS4" from Oshiwara to Cuffe Parade, is the highest Income grosser for BEST. "AS4" is the most popular bus with morning office goers, as it covers a distance of abour 30 km from Andheri to Mantralaya in about 1.20 hrs only. Sony VPCW11S1E/T Battery The Mumbai Suburban Railway is the oldest in Asia, it was founded in 1867. It is owned by Indian Railways and is operated byWestern Railways and Central Railways. With a length of 303 km, It has highest passenger density in the world, 6.3 million people daily.[5] Which is more than half of Indian Railways daily carrying capacity utilized by Mumbai. It has three lines: the Western Line, the Central Line, and the Harbour Line. Sony VPCW11S1E/W Battery These suburban trains are popularly known as Locals and they run from 4 AM till 1 AM. Mumbai suburban services have various such designations (not all of them official, but in wide use). A 'fast' train or 'fast local' is essentially one that is fast (runs express, skipping stops) until a certain station, Sony VPCW12S1E/P Battery and from that station onward runs like a local, e.g., the Virar Fast runs express to Borivli, and then from there on is a local. The Karjat Fast is an express until Kalyan. The Ambarnath Fast Local goes CST - Dadar - Thane and thereafter stops at all stations on its route. The Borivli Fast Local used to run (1980s) from Jogeshwari to Mumbai Central non-stop. Sony VPCW12S1E/T Battery The term 'superfast local' is sometimes used too, e.g., for trains that skip stations to reach Virar early in the down direction so they are available earlier to carry more passengers in the up direction later. On WR (Western Railway) lines, the term 'fast' train is often applied to one that runs as an express until Bandra or Andheri. Sony VAIO VGN-NR21E/S Battery A 'double-fast' is one that runs as an express for an even longer stretch compared to the 'fast' services. On CR (Central Railway) lines, the term 'fast' train is often applied to any train that runs as an express to Kalyan, or until its terminus. There used to be a Kalyan Fast that ran non-stop from Ghatkopar to Bombay VT (now CST). Sony VAIO VGN-NR21J/S Battery The term 'semi-fast' is sometimes applied to trains that run express until Thane. The term 'bada-fast' (Hindi 'bada'= big) was used for services running express between Borivli - Bandra - Marine Lines, and is sometimes synonymous with 'double-fast'. The term 'triple-fast' has been reported (from a long time back) for express services between Dahisar and Marine Lines. Sony VAIO VGN-NR21S/S Battery In 1992, Mumbai's WR and CR introduced 'Ladies Special' trains. A 'Complete Ladies Special' train has all its coaches reserved for women passengers. A 'Semi-Ladies Special' is a train with a few (e.g., 3) coaches reserved for women. These designations can be combined with 'fast', 'slow', etc., so you have terms such as 'Slow Complete Ladies Special', 'Semi-Fast Semi-Ladies', etc. Sony VAIO VGN-NR21S/T Battery Mumbai currently has an extensive commuter rail system (the Mumbai Suburban Railway). However, it is not built to rapid transit specifications. In May 2003, the original Mumbai rapid-transit plan was updated to include an elevated 10-km LRT system, to be built between Andheri and Ghatkopar via Asalpha, Marol, Chakala and Saki Naka. Sony VAIO VGN-NR11Z/T Battery In January 2004, a master transit plan, including a 146 kilometer metro, was unveiled by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The plan integrated a 146 kilometer-long metro system, of which 32 km is underground. In June 2004, government approval was given for a 13-station elevated light rail line between Ghatkopar and Versova. Sony VAIO VGN-NR11Z/S Battery The foundation stone-laying ceremony was held on 21 June 2006. The line was initially expected to open in 2008. However, work on the 11-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor, which comes under Phase-I, has begun on February 8, 2008 itself. Construction of the route is expected to be completed in three years. Sony VAIO VGN-NR11S/S Battery The Taxis arrived in 1911 to complement horse wagons. The black and yellow Fiat taxis in Mumbai, are integral part of the city's heritage and have been depicted in numerous Bollywood movies. These metered taxis ply throughout Mumbai and have monopoly from Bandra to Churchgate on the Western line and Sion to Chatrapati Shivaji Sony VAIO VGN-NR11M/S Battery Terminus on the Central line. Beyond Sion and Bandra auto rickshaws are not allowed and one has to hire a taxi. However, between Sion to Thane and Bandra toBhayandar, Taxis and autorickshaws ply. A mechanical meter decides the fare and is proportional to the distance traveled. Number of taxis (cabs): About 58,000 In Greater Mumbai and 98,566 In Mumbai MMR.[8] Sony VAIO VGN-SR11M Battery Only 20,000 old black and yellow taxis on Greater Mumbai road[9] and 35,000 New taxis like Maruti Alto, WagonR, Omni, Tata Indica, Santro etc. Recently Radio cab services have been introduced by some private companies. These taxis are brand new air-conditioned cars fitted with GPS and electronic metres. Sony VAIO VGN-SR11MR Battery Fare is same as that of Cool Cabs. Presently operated by the following companies: Meru (Green Silver), Gold cabs (Yellow Red), Easy Cabs, Star Taxis (White & Purple), Forsche Taxi and Mega cabs (Black). However these taxis need to be booked in advance by calling their call centre number. Sony VAIO VGN-SR19VN Battery It is convenient to call AC cabs in just 5–30 minutes depending on the place & time. Recently the police revealed that the law requires the driver of an unengaged taxi to take you to wherever you want to go, regardless of distance or time, in case the fare meter of the unengaged rickshaw/taxi is in a 'For Hire' mode.Sony VAIO VGN-SR19XN Battery The modes were denoted by older mechanical meters in this manner: a) upright - for hire b) half mast - not doing business c) currently hired. If the driver does not comply, one simply needs to call the police on 1800-22-0110, a toll free number and mention the taxi's license number and the driver's name. Sony VAIO VGN-SR21M/S Battery The act of calling the police on your cell phone usually makes the driver comply with your request to be taken to your destination. Mumbai Transport commissioner Dilip Jadhav recently announced direct email id for complaints could be about anything: refusal to ply short distance, excess fare charged/tampered meters, Sony VAIO VGN-SR21RM/H Battery fake tariff cards, misconduct by drivers or any other complaint.[10][11][12][13] Other methods of complaining against the auto rickshaws and taxis is available on the Mumbai RTO website, here. Some taxis now use an electronic meter, and soon are taxis are expected to use new electronic meters, Sony VAIO VGN-SR29VN Battery which directly display the actual fare, not requiring a conversion, as required in the current mechanical taxi meters. The conversion of the mechanical meter reading to the actual fare, payable in INR is published on the Mumbai RTO's website here. The fare is applicable for yellow/black non air-conditioned taxis only. Sony VAIO VGN-SR31M Battery It is important to understand that the meter reading actually denotes the miles traveled, with the initial minimum set to 01.00. Thereafter the meter increases by 00.10 for each one tenth mile traveled. There are total 246,458 auto rickshaws in Mumbai MMR as of 2008,[8] Auto Rickshaws are three-wheeler scooters, Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/P Battery having a wheel in the front and 2 wheels in the rear, which can accommodate three people in the rear section, apart from the driver in the front section. Apart from Buses, Trains and Taxis, Auto rickshaws play an important role of public transport in Mumbai. As per the ruling of the Bombay High Court having 2002 as a deadline, all auto rickshaws use CNG as the fuel. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/S Battery Auto rickshaws are not permitted to enter Old Mumbai. The southmost points accessible to them are Bandra Fire Station in Western Mumbai and Sion Bus Depot in Central Mumbai. Auto rickshaws registered in Mumbai are not allowed travel beyond the municipal limits of Mumbai. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/W Battery They have been allowed to ply between Sion to Mulund in the Central Suburbs and up to Mankhurd on the Harbour line. People who wish to travel beyond Mumbai to suburbs like Vashi, Airoli have to board/flag down/catch another rickshaw. In the western suburbs they are allowed to ply between Bandra and Bhayandar only. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4VR/H Battery Recently the police revealed that the law requires the driver of an unengaged taxi to take you to wherever you want to go, regardless of distance or time, in case the fare meter of the unengaged rickshaw/taxi is in a 'For Hire' mode. The modes were denoted by older mechanical meters in this manner: Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/P Battery a) upright - for hire b) half mast - not doing business c) upturned mast - currently hired. If the driver does not comply, one simply needs to call the police on 1800-22-0110, a toll free number and mention the cab's license number and the driver's name. The act of calling the police on your cell phone usually makes the driver comply with your request to be taken to your destination. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/W Battery Other methods of complaining against the auto rickshaws and taxis is available on the Mumbai RTO website, here. A mechanical meter decides the fare and is proportional to distance traveled. The fare is available on the Mumbai RTO's webpage here in pdf format. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/R Battery,Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/T Battery,Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/P Battery

The Mumbai Suburban Railway

The Mumbai Suburban Railway, popularly known as Locals forms the backbone of the city's transport system.[178] It consists of three rail networks: Central, Western, and Harbour Line, running the length of the city, in the north-south direction.[179] Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/P Battery Mumbai's suburban rail systems carried a total of 6.3 million passengers every day in 2007,[180] which is more than half of the Indian Railways daily carrying capacity. 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.[181] Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/W Battery The Mumbai rail network is spread at an expanse of 319 route kilometres. 191 rakes (ratin-sets) of 9 car and 12 car composition are utilised to run a total of 2,226 train services in the city.[182] The Mumbai Monorail and Mumbai Metro are under construction and expected to be partially operational in late 2012 or early 2013, relieving overcrowding on the existing network. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/R Battery Mumbai is the headquarters of two of Indian Railways' zones: the Central Railway (CR) headquartered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), and the Western Railway (WR) headquartered at Churchgate.[183] Mumbai is also well connected to most parts of India by the Indian Railways. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/T Battery Long-distance trains originate from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Mumbai Central, Bandra Terminus, Andheri and Borivali Mumbai's bus services carried over 5.5 million passengers per day in 2008.[177] Public buses run by BEST cover almost all parts of the metropolis, as well as parts of Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar and Thane.[185] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/P Battery The BEST operates a total of 4,608 buses[186]with CCTV Camera installed, ferrying 4.5 million passengers daily[177] over 390 routes. Its fleet consists of single-decker, double-decker, vestibule, low-floor, disabled-friendly, air-conditioned and Euro III compliant diesel and Compressed Natural Gas powered buses.[187] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/R Battery Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses provide intercity transport and connect Mumbai with other major cities of Maharashtra and India.[188][189] Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) also operates its Volvobuses in Mumbai, from Navi Mumbai to Bandra, Dindoshi and Borivali.[190] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21Z/Q Battery Buses are generally favoured for commuting short to medium distances, while train fares are more economical for longer distance commutes.[191] The Mumbai Darshan is a tourist bus service which explores numerous tourist attractions in Mumbai.[192] Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/R Battery Mumbai BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) lanes have been planned throughout Mumbai, with buses running on seven routes as of March 2009.[193] Though 88% of the city's commuters travel by public transport, Mumbai still continues to struggle with traffic congestion.[194] Mumbai's transport system has been categorised as one of the most congested in the world. Sony Vaio VGN-AW21M/H Battery Mumbai is served by National Highway 3, National Highway 4, National Highway 8, National Highway 17 and National Highway 222 of India's National Highways system.[196] The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was the first expressway built in India,[197] while the Mumbai Nashik Expressway, Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway,[198] Sony Vaio VGN-AW21S/B Battery Western Freeway and Eastern Freeway is under construction. The Bandra-Worli Sea Link bridge, along with Mahim Causeway, links the island city to the western suburbs.[199] The three major road arteries of the city are the Eastern Express Highway from Sion to Thane, the Sion Panvel Expressway from Sion to Panvel and the Western Express Highway from Bandra to Borivali. Sony Vaio VGN-AW21Z/B Battery 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.[201] Taxis and rickshaws in Mumbai are required by law to run on compressed natural gas,[202] and are a convenient, economical, and easily available means of transport.[201] Sony Vaio VGN-AW31ZS/B Battery Mumbai had about 1.53 million vehicles in 2008,[203] 56,459 black and yellow taxis, and 102,224 auto rickshaws, as of 2005. The Chhatrapati Shivaji 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.[205] Sony Vaio VGN-AW31ZJ/B Battery It handled 30.74 million passengers and 656,369 tonnes of cargo during FY 2011-12.[206] An upgrade plan was initiated in 2006, targeted at increasing the capacity of the airport to handle up to 40 million passengers annually. .[207] Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/W Battery 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.[208] The Juhu Aerodrome was India's first airport, and now hosts a flying club and a heliport. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/T Battery Mumbai is served by two major ports, Mumbai Port Trust and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, which lies just across the creek inNavi Mumbai.[210] Mumbai Port has one of the best natural harbours in the world, and has extensive wet and dry dock accommodation facilities.[211] Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/P Battery Jawaharlal Nehru Port, commissioned on 26 May 1989, is the busiest and most modern major port in India.[212] It handles 55–60% of the country's total containerised cargo.[213] Ferries from Ferry Wharf in Mazagaon allow access to islands near the city.[214] The city is also the headquarters of the Western Naval Command, and also an important base for the Indian Navy. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/V Battery Under colonial rule, tanks were the only source of water in Mumbai. Many localities have been named after them. The BMCsupplies potable water to the city from six lakes,[215][216] 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.[217] Sony Vaio VGN-CS31Z/Q Battery The water is filtered atBhandup,[217] which is Asia's largest water filtration plant.[218] India's first underground water tunnel is being built in Mumbai.[219] About 700 million litres of water, out of a daily supply of 3500 million litres, is lost by way of water thefts, illegal connections and leakages, per day in Mumbai.[220] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/W Battery Almost all of Mumbai's daily refuse of 7,800 metric tonnes, of which 40 metric tonnes is plastic waste,[221] is transported to dumping grounds in Gorai in the northwest, Mulund in the northeast, and to theDeonar dumping ground in the east.[222] Sewage treatment is carried out at Worli and Bandra, and disposed of by two independent marine outfalls of 3.4 km (2.11 mi) and 3.7 km (2.30 mi) at Bandra and Worli respectively.[223] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/T Battery Electricity is distributed by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) in the island city, and by Reliance Energy, Tata Power, and Mahavitaran(Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd) in the suburbs.[224] Consumption of electricity is growing faster than production capacity.[225] Sony Vaio VGN-NW21MF Battery The largest telephone service provider is the state-owned MTNL, which held a monopoly over fixed line and cellular services up until 2000, and provides fixed line as well as mobile WLL services.[226] Cell phone coverage is extensive, and the main service providers are Vodafone Essar, Airtel, Sony Vaio VGN-NW21EF Battery MTNL, Loop Mobile, Reliance Communications, Idea Cellular and Tata Indicom. Both GSM and CDMA services are available in the city.[227] Many of the above service providers also provide broadband internet and wireless internet access in Mumbai. Mumbai has highest number of internet users in India with 14.3 million users. Sony Vaio VGN-NW21JF Battery The architecture of the city is a blend of Gothic Revival, Indo-Saracenic, Art Deco, and other contemporary styles. Most of the buildings during the British period, such as the Victoria Terminus and Bombay University, were built in Gothic Revival style.[229] Their architectural features include a variety of European influences such as German gables, Sony Vaio VGN-NW21ZF Battery Dutch roofs, Swiss timbering, Romance arches, Tudor casements, and traditional Indian features.[230] There are also a few Indo-Saracenic styled buildings such as the Gateway of India.[231] Art Deco styled landmarks can be found along the Marine Drive and west of theOval Maidan. Sony Vaio VGN-NW31EF Battery Mumbai has the second largest number of Art Deco buildings in the world after Miami. In the newer suburbs, modern buildings dominate the landscape. Mumbai has by far the largest number of skyscrapers in India, with 956 existing buildings and 272 under construction as of 2009. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/T Battery 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 two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Elephanta Caves.[232] Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/Q Battery Popular tourist attractions in the city are Nariman Point, Girgaum Chowpatti, Juhu Beach, and Marine Drive. Essel World is a theme park and amusement centre situated close to Gorai Beach,[233] and includes Asia's largest theme water park, Water Kingdom.[234] In the south of Mumbai, there are colonial-era buildings and Soviet-style offices.[235] Sony Vaio VGN-BZ11EN Battery In the east are factories and some slums. On the West coast are former-textile mills being demolished and skyscrapers built on top. There are 31 buildings taller than 100m, compared with 200 in Shanghai, 500 in Hong Kong and 500 in New York. According to the 2011 census, the population of Mumbai was 12,479,608. Sony Vaio VGN-BZ11XN Battery The population density is estimated to be about 20,482 persons per square kilometre. The living space is 4.5sq metre per person.[237] As Per 2011 census, Greater Mumbai, the area under the administration of the BMC, has a literacy rate of 94.7%, higher than the national average of 86.7%.Sony Vaio VGN-BZ12EN Battery The sex ratio was 838 (females per 1,000 males) in the island city, 857 in the suburbs, and 848 as a whole in Greater Mumbai, all numbers lower than the national average of 914 females per 1,000 males. The low sex ratio is partly because of the large number of male migrants who come to the city to work.[238] Sony Vaio VGN-BZ12XN Battery Residents of Mumbai call themselves MumbaikarMumbaiite or Bombayite. Mumbai has a large polyglot population like any othermetropolitan city of India. Marathi, the official language of Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital, is widely spoken and understood in the city. Sony Vaio VGN-BZ12XN Battery Sixteen major languages of India are also spoken in Mumbai, most common being Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English.[239] English is extensively spoken and is the principal language of the city's white collar workforce. A colloquial form of Hindi, known as Bambaiya – a blend of Marathi, Sony Vaio VGN-BZ21VN Battery Hindi, Gujarati, Konkani, Urdu, Indian English and some invented words – is spoken on the streets.[240] Mumbai suffers from the same major urbanisation problems seen in many fast growing cities in developing countries: widespread poverty and unemployment, poor public health and poor civic and educational standards for a large section of the population. Sony Vaio VGN-BZ21XN Battery With available land at a premium, Mumbai residents often reside in cramped, relatively expensive housing, usually far from workplaces, and therefore requiring long commutes on crowded mass transit, or clogged roadways. Many of them live in close proximity to bus or train stations although suburban residents spend significant time travelling southward to the main commercial district.[241] Sony  VGP-BPS13 Battery Dharavi, Asia's second largest slum[242] is located in central Mumbai and houses 800,000 people.[243] With a literacy rate of 69%, the slums in Mumbai are the most literate in India.[244] The number of migrants to Mumbai from outside Maharashtra during the 1991–2001 decade was 1.12 million, which amounted to 54.8% of the net addition to the population of Mumbai.[245] Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13A/B Battery The number of households in Mumbai is forecast to rise from 42 lakh in 2008 to 66 lakh in 2020. However, the number of households with incomes of Rs 20lakh/year will increase from 4% to 10% by 2020, i.e., 6.6 lakh families. The number of households with incomes from Rs 10-20lakh/year is also estimated to increase from 4% to 15% by 2020. Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13B/B Battery The religions represented in Mumbai include Hindus (67.39%), Muslims (18.56%), Buddhists (5.22%), Jains (3.99%),Christians (4.2%),[248] Sikhs (0.58%), with Parsis and Jews making up the rest of the population.[249] The linguistic/ethnic demographics are: Maharashtrians (42%), Gujaratis (19%), with the rest hailing from other parts of India.[250] Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13/S Battery Native Christians include East Indians (ethnic group) Catholics who were converted by the Portuguese, during the 18th & 19th century.[251] The city also has a small native Bene Israeli Jewish community, who migrated from the Persian Gulf or Yemen, probably 1600 years ago.[252] Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13A/S Battery Mumbai is also home to the largest population of ParsiZoroastrians in the world, with about 80,000 Parsis in Mumbai. Parsis migrated to India from Pars (Persia/Iran) following the Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century AD.[253] The oldest Muslim communities in Mumbai include the Dawoodi Bohras, Ismaili Khojas, and Konkani Muslims. Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13B/S Battery Mumbai's culture is a blend of traditional festivals, food, music and theatres. The city offers a cosmopolitan and diverse lifestyle with a variety of food, entertainment and night life, available in a form and abundance comparable to that in other world capitals. Mumbai's history as a major trading centre has led to a diverse range of cultures, Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13/Q Battery religions and cuisines coexisting in the city. This unique blend of cultures is due to the migration of people from all over India since the British period. Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema[255]—Dadasaheb Phalke laid the foundations with silent movies followed by Marathi talkies—and the oldest film broadcast took place in the early 20th century.[256] Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13A/Q Battery Mumbai also has a large number of cinema halls that feature Bollywood, Marathi and Hollywood movies. The Mumbai International Film Festival[257] and the award ceremony of the Filmfare Awards, the oldest and prominent film awards given for Hindi film industry in India, are held in Mumbai.[258] Sony  VAIO VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery Despite most of the professional theatre groups that formed during the British Raj having disbanded by the 1950s, Mumbai has developed a thriving "theatre movement" tradition in Marathi, Hindi, English and other regional languages.[259][260] Contemporary art is featured in both government-funded art spaces and private commercial galleries. Sony  VGP-BPS21 Battery The government-funded institutions include the Jehangir Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Modern Art. Built in 1833, the Asiatic Society of Bombayis one of the oldest public libraries in the city.[261] The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly The Prince of Wales Museum) is a renowned museum in South Mumbai which houses rare ancient exhibits of Indian history.[262] Sony  VGP-BPS21A Battery Mumbai has a zoo named Jijamata Udyaan (formerly Victoria Gardens), which also harbours a garden. The rich literary traditions of the city have been highlighted internationally by Booker Prize winners Salman Rushdie, Aravind Adiga. Marathi literature has been modernised in the works of Mumbai based authors such as Mohan Apte, Sony  VGP-BPS21B Battery Anant Kanekar, and Gangadhar Gadgil, and is promoted through an annual Sahitya Akademi Award, a literary honour bestowed by India's National Academy of Letters.[263] Mumbai residents celebrate both Western and Indian festivals. Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Navratri, Good Friday, Sony  VGP-BPS21/S Battery Dussera,Moharram, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja and Maha Shivratri are some of the popular festivals in the city. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is an exhibition of a world of arts that encapsulates works of artists in the fields of music, dance, theatre, and films.[264] A week long annual fair known as Bandra FairSony  VGP-BPS21A/b Battery , starting on the following Sunday after 8 September, is celebrated by people of all faiths, to commemorate the Nativity of Mary, mother of Jesus, on 8 September.[265] The Banganga Festival is a two-day music festival, held annually in the month of January, which is organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) at the historic Banganga Tank in Mumbai.[266] Sony VGP-BPS26 Battery The Elephanta Festival—celebrated every February on the Elephanta Islands—is dedicated to classical Indian dance and music and attracts performers from across the country.[267] Public holidays specific to the city and the state include Maharashtra Day on 1 May, to celebrate the formation of Maharashtra state on 1 May 1960,[268][269] and Gudi Padwa which is the New Year's Day for Marathi people. Sony VGP-BPL26 Battery Mumbai has numerous newspaper publications, television and radio stations. Marathi dailies enjoy the maximum readership share in the city and the top Marathi language newspapers are Maharashtra TimesNavakaalLokmatLoksattaMumbai ChauferSaamana and Sakaal.[271] Sony VGP-BPS26A Battery Popular Marathi language magazines are Saptahik SakaalGrihashobhikaLokrajya,Lokprabha & Chitralekha.[272] Popular English language newspapers published and sold in Mumbai include The Times of IndiaMid-dayHindustan TimesDNA India, and The Indian Express. Newspapers are also printed in other Indian languages.[273] Sony VGP-BPS22 Battery Mumbai is home to Asia's oldest newspaper, Bombay Samachar, which has been published in Gujarati since 1822.[274] Bombay Durpan, the first Marathi newspaper, was started by Balshastri Jambhekar in Mumbai in 1832. Numerous Indian and international television channels can be watched in Mumbai through one of the Pay TV companies or the local cable television provider. Sony VGP-BPL22 Battery The metropolis is also the hub of many international media corporations, with many news channels and print publications having a major presence. The national television broadcaster, Doordarshan, provides two free terrestrial channels, while three main cable networks serve most households.[275] Sony VGP-BPS22A Battery The wide range of cable channels available includes Zee Marathi, Zee Talkies, ETV Marathi, Star Pravah, Mi Marathi, DD Sahyadri (All Marathi channels), news channels such as Star Majha, Lokmat IBN, Zee 24 Taas, sports channels like ESPN,Star Sports, National entertainment channels like Colors, Sony Zee TV and STAR Plus. Sony VAIO PCG-3B1M Battery News channels entirely dedicated to Mumbai include Sahara Samay Mumbai.Zing a popular Bollywood gossip channel is also based out of Mumbai.Satellite television (DTH) has yet to gain mass acceptance, due to high installation costs.[276] Prominent DTH entertainment services in Mumbai include Dish TV and Tata Sky.[277] Sony VAIO PCG-3D1M Battery There are twelve radio stations in Mumbai, with nine broadcasting on the FM band, and three All India Radio stations broadcasting on the AM band.[278] Mumbai also has access to Commercial radio providers such as WorldSpace, Sirius and XM. Sony VAIO PCG-3G2M Battery The Conditional Access System (CAS) started by the Union Government in 2006 met a poor response in Mumbai due to competition from its sister technology Direct-to-Home (DTH) transmission service.[279] Bollywood, the Hindi film industry based in Mumbai, produces around 150–200 films every year.[280] Sony VAIO PCG-5R1M Battery

Mumbai,Bombay capital city of Maharashtra.

http://www.all-keyboard.com/,http://www.keyboards-shop.com/,http://www.laptop-fan-shop.com/ Mumbai /mʊmˈbaɪ/, formerly Bombay, is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million. Along with the neighbouring urban areas, including the cities of Navi Mumbai and Thane, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world.[6] Sony PCG-31211T Battery Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha world city.[7] It is also the wealthiest city in India,[8] and has the highest GDP of any city in South, West or Central Asia. The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing colonies. Sony PCG-31311T Battery For centuries, the islands were under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese and subsequently to the British East India Company. During the mid-18th century, Mumbai was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard project,[9]which undertook the reclamation of the area between the seven constituent islands from the sea.[10] Sony PCG-51111T Battery Completed by 1845, the project along with construction of major roads and railways transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea. Economic and educational development characterised the city during the 19th century. It became a strong base for the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century. Sony PCG-81111T Battery When India became independent in 1947, the city was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as capital. The city was renamed Mumbai in 1996,[11] the name being derived from the Koli goddess—Mumbadevi. Sony PCG-81311T Battery Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment capital of India, it is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,[12] generating 5% of India's GDP,[13] and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India (Mumbai Port Trust & JNPT),[14] and 70% of capital transactions to India's economy.[15] Sony VPCF138FC Battery The city houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, theNational Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies andmultinational corporations. Sony VPCF219FC Battery It is also home to some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes like BARC,NPCL, IREL, TIFR, AERB, AECI, and the Department of Atomic Energy. The city also houses India's Hindi (Bollywood) andMarathi film and television industry. Mumbai's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higherstandard of living,[16] Sony VPCS135EC Battery attract migrants from all over India and, in turn, make the city a melting pot of many communities and cultures. The name Mumbai is derived from Mumba or Maha-Amba—the name of the Koli goddess Mumbadevi—and Aai, "mother" in the language of Marathi.[17] Sony VPCS136EC Battery The oldest known names for the city are Kakamuchee and Galajunkja; these are sometimes still used.[18][19] Ali Muhammad Khan, in the Mirat-i-Ahmedi (1507) referred to the city as Manbai.[20] In 1508, Portuguese writer Gaspar Correia used the name Bombaim, in his Lendas da Índia ("Legends of India").Sony VPCS138EC Battery This name possibly originated as the Old Portuguese phrase bom baim, meaning "good little bay",[23] and Bombaim is still commonly used in Portuguese.[24] In 1516, Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa used the name Tana-MaiambuTana appears to refer to the adjoining town ofThane and Maiambu to Mumbadevi. Sony VPCS139GC Battery 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), andBoon Bay (1690). Sony VPCYA15EC Battery After the British gained possession of the city in the 17th century, the Portuguese name was officially anglicised as Bombay.[27] By the late 20th century, the city was known as Mumbai or Mambai to Marathi language, Konkani, Gujarati, Kannada andSindhi speakers and as Bambai in Hindi, Persian and Urdu. Sony VPCYA16EC Battery The English name was officially changed to Mumbai in November 1995.[28] This came at the insistence of the Marathi nationalist Shiv Sena party that had just won the Maharashtra state elections and mirrored similar name changes across the country. They argued that "Bombay" was a corrupted English version of "Mumbai" and an unwanted legacy of British colonial rule. Sony VPCYA25EC Battery The push to rename Bombay was part of a larger movement to strengthen Marathi identity in the Maharashtra region. However, the city is still referred to as Bombay by some of its residents and Indians from other regions as well.[29] However, mentions of the city by the name other than Mumbai have been controversial, resulting in emotional outbursts sometimes of a violently political nature.[ Sony VPCYA26EC Battery A widespread popular etymology of Bombay holds that it was derived from a Portuguese name meaning "good bay". This is based on the facts that bom is Portuguese for "good" and baía (or the archaic spelling bahia) means "bay". However, this literal translation would have been incorrect in grammatical gender, as bom is masculine, while baia is feminine; Sony VPCYB15JC Battery a correct Portuguese rendering of "good bay" would be boa ba(h)ia. Having said this, baim is an archaic, masculine word for "little bay".[23] Portuguese scholar José Pedro Machado in his Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa (1981; "Portuguese Dictionary of Onomastics and Etymology"),Sony VPCYA17GH/R Battery seems to reject the "Bom Bahia" hypothesis, suggesting that the presence of a bay was a coincidence (rather than a basis of the toponym) and led to a misconception, that the noun (bahia; "bay") was an integral part of the Portuguese name. Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands: Sony VPCCW2S8E/W Battery Bombay Island, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba).[33] It is not exactly known when these islands were first inhabited. Pleistocenesediments found along the coastal areas around Kandivali in northern Mumbai suggest that the islands were inhabited since the Stone Age.[34] Sony VPCCW2Z1E/B Battery Perhaps at the beginning of the Common era (2000 years ago), or possibly earlier, they came to be occupied by the Kolifishing community.[35] In the third century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire, during its expansion in the south, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha.[36] Sony VPCY11S1E Battery The Kanheri Caves in Borivali were excavated in the mid-third century BCE,[37] and served as an important centre of Buddhism in Western India during ancient Times.[38] The city then was known as Heptanesia (Ancient Greek: A Cluster of Seven Islands) to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150 CE.[39] Sony VPCY11S1E/S Battery Between the second century BCE and ninth century CE, the islands came under the control of successive indigenous dynasties:Satavahanas, Western Kshatrapas, Abhiras, Vakatakas, Kalachuris, Konkan Mauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas,[40] before being ruled by the Silhara dynasty from 810 to 1260.[41] Sony VPCW1 Battery Some of the oldest edifices in the city built during this period are, Jogeshwari Caves(between 520 to 525),[42] Elephanta Caves (between the sixth to seventh century),[43] Walkeshwar Temple (10th century),[44] andBanganga Tank (12th century). Sony VPCW1E8R/BU Battery King Bhimdev founded his kingdom in the region in the late 13th century, and established his capital in Mahikawati (present dayMahim).[46] The Pathare Prabhus, one of the earliest known settlers of the city, were brought to Mahikawati from Saurashtra in Gujarat around 1298 by Bhimdev.[47] Sony VPCY11AGJ Battery The Delhi Sultanate annexed the islands in 1347–48, and controlled it till 1407. During this time, the islands were administered by the Muslim Governors of Gujarat, who were appointed by the Delhi Sultanate. The islands were later governed by the independent Gujarat Sultanate, which was established in 1407. Sony VPCY11AHJ Battery 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.[50] From 1429 to 1431, the islands were a source of contention between the Gujarat Sultanate and the Bahamani Sultanate of Deccan. Sony VPCY11AVJ Battery In 1493, Bahadur Khan Gilani of the Bahamani Sultanate attempted to conquer the islands, but was defeated. The Mughal Empire, founded in 1526, was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent during the mid-16th century.[54] Sony VPCY11M1E Battery Growing apprehensive of the power of the Mughal emperor Humayun, Sultan Bahadur Shah of the Gujarat Sultanate 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. Sony VPCY11S1E Battery The territories were later surrendered on 25 October 1535.[55] The Portuguese were actively involved in the foundation and growth of their Roman Catholic religious orders in Bombay.[56] Some of the oldest Catholic churches in the city such as the St. Michael's Church at Mahim (1534),[57] St. John the Baptist Church at Andheri (1579),[58] Sony VPCY11V9E Battery St. Andrew's Church at Bandra (1580),[59] and Gloria Church at Byculla (1632),[60] date from the Portuguese era. On 11 May 1661, the marriage treaty of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King John IV of Portugal, placed the islands in possession of the British Empire, as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles.[61] Sony VPCY11V9E/S Battery However, Salsette, Bassein, Mazagaon, Parel,Worli, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala still remained under Portuguese possession. From 1665 to 1666, the British managed to acquire Mahim, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala.[62] These islands were in turn leased to the British East India Company in 1668 for a sum of £10 per annum by the Royal Charter of 27 March 1668.[63] Sony VPCY219FJ/S Battery The population quickly rose from 10,000 in 1661, to 60,000 in 1675.[64] The islands were subsequently attacked by Yakut Khan, the Siddi admiral of the Mughal Empire, in October 1672,[65] Rickloffe van Goen, the Governor-General of Dutch India on 20 February 1673,[66] and Siddi admiral Sambal on 10 October 1673.[65] Sony VPCY21AFJ Battery In 1687, the British East India Company transferred its headquarters from Surat to Bombay. The city eventually became the headquarters of the Bombay Presidency.[67] Following the transfer, Bombay was placed at the head of all the Company's establishments in India.[68] Sony VPCY21AGJ Battery Towards the end of the 17th century, the islands again suffered incursions from Yakut Khan in 1689–90.[69] The Portuguese presence ended in Bombay when the Marathas under Peshwa Baji Rao I capturedSalsette in 1737, and Bassein in 1739. By the middle of the 18th century, Bombay began to grow into a major trading town, Sony VPCY21AHJ Battery and received a huge influx of migrants from across India.[71] Later, the British occupied Salsette on 28 December 1774. With the Treaty of Surat (1775), the British formally gained control of Salsette and Bassein, resulting in the First Anglo-Maratha War.[72] The British were able to secure Salsette from the Marathas without violence through the Treaty of Purandar (1776),[73] Sony VPCY21AVJ Battery and later through the Treaty of Salbai (1782), signed to settle the outcome of the First Anglo-Maratha War. From 1782 onwards, the city was reshaped with large-scale civil engineering projects aimed at merging all the seven islands into a single amalgamated mass. Sony VPCY21S1E/L Battery This project, known as Hornby Vellard, was completed by 1784.[9] In 1817, the British East India Company under Mountstuart Elphinstone defeated Baji Rao II, the last of the Maratha Peshwa in theBattle of Khadki.[75] Sony VPCY21S1E/P Battery Following his defeat, almost the whole of the Deccan came under British suzerainty, and were incorporated in Bombay Presidency. The success of the British campaign in the Deccan witnessed the freedom of Bombay from all attacks by native powers.[76] By 1845, the seven islands were coalesced into a single landmass by the Hornby Vellard project via large scale land reclamation.[10][77] Sony VPCY21S1E/SI Battery On 16 April 1853, India's first passenger railway line was established, connecting Bombay to the neighbouring town of Thane.[78] 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.[79] Sony VPCCW1E8R/WU Battery The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Bombay into one of the largest seaports on the Arabian Sea.[80] In September 1896, Bombay was hit by a bubonic plague epidemic where the death toll was estimated at 1,900 people per week.[81] About 850,000 people fled Bombay and the textile industry was adversely affected.[82] Sony VPCCW1S1E Battery As the capital of the Bombay Presidency, it witnessed the Indian independence movement, with the Quit India Movement in 1942 and The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in 1946 being its most notable events. After India's independence in 1947, the territory of the Bombay Presidency retained by India was restructured into Bombay State.Sony VAIO PCG-5S1M Battery The area of Bombay State increased, after several erstwhile princely states that joined the Indian union were integrated into the state. Subsequently, the city became the capital of Bombay State.[85] On April 1950, Municipal limits of Bombay were expanded by merging the Bombay Suburban District and Bombay City to form Greater Bombay Municipal Corporation.[86] Sony VAIO PCG-9Z1M Battery The Samyukta Maharashtra movement to create a separate Maharashtra state including Bombay was at its height in the 1950s. In the Lok Sabha discussions in 1955, the Congress party demanded that the city be constituted as an autonomous city-state.[87] Sony VAIO PCG-7171M Battery The States Reorganisation Committee recommended a bilingual state for Maharashtra–Gujarat with Bombay as its capital in its 1955 report.Bombay Citizens' Committee, an advocacy group of leading Gujarati industrialists lobbied for Bombay's independent status.[88] Sony VAIO PCG-7186M Battery Following protests during the movement in which 105 people were killed by police, Bombay State was reorganised on linguistic lines on 1 May 1960.[89] Gujarati-speaking areas of Bombay State were partitioned into the state of Gujarat.[90] Maharashtra State with Bombay as its capital was formed with the merger of Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay State, Sony VAIO PCG-81112M Battery eight districts from Central Provinces and Berar, five districts from Hyderabad State, and numerous princely states enclosed between them.[91] As a memorial to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, Flora Fountain was renamed as Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square), and a memorial was erected.[92] Sony VAIO PCG-31111M Battery The following decades saw massive expansion of the city and its suburbs. In the late 1960s, Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade were reclaimed and developed.[93] The Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) was set up on 26 January 1975 by theGovernment of Maharashtra as an apex body for planning and co-ordination of development activities in the Bombay metropolitan region.[94] Sony VAIO PCG-31311M Battery In August 1979, a sister township of New Bombay was founded by City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) across Thane and Raigad districts to help the dispersal and control of Bombay's population. Textile industry in Bombay largely disappeared after the massive 1982 Great Bombay Textile Strike, Sony VAIO PCG-8152M Battery in which nearly 250,000 workers in more than 50 textile mills went on strike.[95] Mumbai's defunct cotton mills have since become the focus of intense redevelopment. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port, which currently handles 55–60% of India's containerised cargo, was commissioned on 26 May 1989 at Nhava Sheva with a view to de-congest Bombay Harbour and to serve as a hub port for the city.[96] Sony VAIO PCG-61111M Battery The geographical limits of Greater Bombay were coextensive with municipal limits of Greater Bombay. On 1 October 1990, the Greater Bombay district was bifurcated to form two revenue districts namely, Bombay City and Bombay Suburban, though they were administered by same Municipal Administration.[97] Sony PCG-71213M Battery The past two decades have seen an increase in violence in the hitherto largely peaceful city. Following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the city was rocked by the Hindu-Muslim riots of 1992–93 in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Sony PCG-71311M Battery On 12 March 1993, a series of 13 co-ordinated bombings at several city landmarks by Islamic extremists and the Bombay underworld resulted in 257 deaths and over 700 injuries.[98] In 2006, 209 people were killed and over 700 injured when seven bombs exploded on the city's commuter trains.[99] Sony PCG-71312M Battery In 2008, a series of ten coordinated attacks by armed terrorists for three days resulted in 173 deaths, 308 injuries, and severe damage to a couple of heritage landmarks and prestigious hotels.[100] The blasts that occurred at the Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar, and Dadar on 13 July 2011 were the latest in the series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai.[101] Sony PCG-71212M Battery Today, Mumbai is the commercial capital of India and has evolved into a global financial hub.[102] For several decades it has been the home of India's main financial services, and a focus for both infrastructure development and private investment.[103] 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. Sony PCG-71811M Battery Mumbai consists of two distinct regions: Mumbai City district and Mumbai Suburban district, which form two separate revenue districts of Maharashtra.[105] The city district region is also commonly referred to as the Island City or South Mumbai.[13] The total area of Mumbai is 603.4 km2 (233 sq mi).[106] Sony PCG-71911M Battery Of this, the island city spans 67.79 km2 (26 sq mi), while the suburban district spans 370 km2 (143 sq mi), together accounting for 437.71 km2 (169 sq mi) under the administration of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The remaining area belongs to Defence, Mumbai Port Trust, Atomic Energy Commission and Borivali National Park, which are out of the jurisdiction of the BMC.[107] Sony PCG-91211M Battery Mumbai lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River on the western coast of India, in the coastal region known as the Konkan. It sits onSalsette Island, partially shared with the Thane district.[108] Mumbai is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west.[109] Many parts of the city lie just above sea level, with elevations ranging from 10 m (33 ft) to 15 m (49 ft);[110] Sony PCG-91111M Battery the city has an average elevation of 14 m (46 ft).[111] Northern Mumbai (Salsette) is hilly,[112] and the highest point in the city is 450 m (1,476 ft) at Salsette in the Powai–Kanheri ranges.[113] Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali National Park) is located partly in the Mumbai suburban district, and partly in the Thane district, and it extends over an area of 103.09 km2 (39.80 sq mi).[114] Sony VAIO PCG-5J4M Battery Apart from the Bhatsa Dam, there are six major lakes that supply water to the city: Vihar, Lower Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tulsi, Tansa and Powai. Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake are located in Borivili National Park, within the city's limits. The supply from Powai lake, also within the city limits, is used only for agricultural and industrial purposes.[115] Sony VAIO PCG-5K1M Battery Three small rivers, the Dahisar River,Poinsar (or Poisar) and Ohiwara (or Oshiwara) originate within the park, while the polluted Mithi River originates from Tulsi Lake and gathers water overflowing from Vihar and Powai Lakes.[116] The coastline of the city is indented with numerous creeks and bays, stretching from Thane creek on the eastern to Madh Marve on the western front.[117] Sony VAIO PCG-5K2M Battery The eastern coast of Salsette Island is covered with large mangrove swamps, rich in biodiversity, while the western coast is mostly sandy and rocky.[118] 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.[119] Sony VAIO PCG-5J5M Battery The underlying rock of the region is composed of black Deccan basalt flows, and their acidic and basicvariants dating back to the late Cretaceous and early Eocene eras.[120] Mumbai sits on a seismically active zone owing to the presence of 23 fault lines in the vicinity.[121] The area is classified as a Seismic Zone III region,[122] Sony VAIO PCG-5L2M Battery which means an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.5 on the Richter-scale may be expected. Mumbai has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical wet and dry climate under the Köppen climate classification, with seven months of dryness and peak of rains in July.[124] The cooler season from December to February is followed by the summer season from March to June. Sony VAIO PCG-6S4M Battery The period from June to about the end of September constitutes the south-west monsoon season, and October and November form the post-monsoon season.[125] Between June and September, the south west monsoon rains lash the city. Pre-monsoon showers are received in May. Sony VAIO PCG-6W1M Battery Occasionally, north-east monsoon showers occur in October and November. The maximum annual rainfall ever recorded was 3,452 mm (136 in) for 1954.[126] The highest rainfall recorded in a single day was 944 mm (37 in) on 26 July 2005.[127] The average total annual rainfall is 2,146.6 mm (85 in) for the Island City, and 2,457 mm (97 in) for the suburbs.[126] Sony VAIO PCG-6W2M Battery The average annual temperature is 27.2 °C (81 °F), and the average annual precipitation is 2,167 mm (85 in).[128] In the Island City, the average maximum temperature is 31.2 °C (88 °F), while the average minimum temperature is 23.7 °C (75 °F). In the suburbs, the daily mean maximum temperature range from29.1 °C (84 °F) to 33.3 °C (92 °F), Sony VAIO PCG-7Z1M Battery while the daily mean minimum temperature ranges from 16.3 °C (61 °F) to 26.2 °C (79 °F).[126] The record high is40.2 °C (104 °F) on 28 March 1982,[129] and the record low is 7.4 °C (45 °F) on 27 January 1962. Mumbai is India's largest city (by population) and is the financial and commercial capital of the country as it generates 6.16% of the total GDP. Sony VAIO PCG-8Y2M Battery It serves as an economic hub of India, contributing 10% of factory employment, 25% of industrial output, 33% of income tax collections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of India's foreign trade and  4,000 crore (US$728 million) in corporate taxes.[135] Sony VAIO PCG-8Y3M Battery As of 2008, Mumbai's GDP is  919,600 crore (US$167.37 billion),[136] and its per-capita income in 2009 was  486,000 (US$8,845.2),[8][137] which is almost three times the national average.[77] Many of India's numerous conglomerates (including Larsen and Toubro, State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Sony VAIO PCG-8Z1M Battery Tata Group, Godrej andReliance),[102] and five of the Fortune Global 500 companies are based in Mumbai.[138] Many foreign banks and financial institutions also have branches in this area,[102] with the World Trade Centre being the most prominent one.[139] Sony VAIO PCG-8Z2M Battery Until the 1970s, Mumbai owed its prosperity largely to textile mills and the seaport, but the local economy has since been diversified to include engineering, diamond-polishing, healthcare and information technology.[140] As of 2008, the Globalization and World Cities Study Group (GaWC) has ranked Mumbai as an "Alpha world city", third in its categories ofGlobal cities.[141] Sony VAIO PCG-8Z3M Battery Mumbai is the 3rd most expensive office market in the world. Mumbai was ranked among the fastest cities in the country for business startup in 2009.[142] 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, Sony VAIO PCG-7112M Battery who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics and other such blue collar professions. The port and shipping industry is well established, with Mumbai Port being one of the oldest and most significant ports in India.[143] In Dharavi, in central Mumbai, there is an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of the city; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories.[144] Sony VGP-BPL15/B Battery Most of India's major television and satellite networks, as well as its major publishing houses, are headquartered in Mumbai. The centre of the Hindi movie industry, Bollywood, is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest in the world as well as centre of Marathi Film Industry.[145][146] Sony VGP-BPS15/B Battery Along with the rest of India, Mumbai, its commercial capital, 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 2000s.[147] Mumbai has been ranked 48th on the Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index 2008.[148] Sony VGP-BPL15/S Battery In April 2008, Mumbai was ranked seventh in the list of "Top Ten Cities for Billionaires" by Forbes magazine,[149] and first in terms of those billionaires' average wealth. Mumbai, extending from Colaba in the south, to Mulund and Dahisar in the north, and Mankhurd in the east, is administered by theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).[109] Sony VGP-BPS15/S Battery The BMC is in charge of the civic and infrastructure needs of the metropolis.[151] The Mayor is usually chosen through indirect election by the councillors from among themselves for a term of two and half years. The Municipal Commissioner is the chief Executive Officer and head of the executive arm of the Municipal Corporation. Sony VGP-BPS15 Battery 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. Sony VGP-BPL15 Battery 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.[152] The two revenue districts of Mumbai come under the jurisdiction of a District Collector. Sony VGN-P series Battery 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 Mumbai Police is headed by a Police Commissioner, who is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The Mumbai Police comes under the state Home Ministry.[153] Sony VGN-P11Z/Q Battery The city is divided into seven police zones and seventeen traffic police zones,[107] each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police.[154] The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Mumbai Police. The Mumbai Fire Brigadedepartment is headed by the Chief Fire Officer, who is assisted by four Deputy Chief Fire Officers and six Divisional Officers.[107] Sony VGN-P11Z/R Battery Mumbai is the seat of the Bombay High Court, which exercises jurisdiction over the states of Maharashtra and Goa, and the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.[155] Mumbai also has two lower courts, the Small Causes Court for civil matters, and the Sessions Court for criminal cases. Sony VGN-P11Z/W Battery Mumbai also has a special TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities) court for people accused of conspiring and abetting acts of terrorism in the city. Mumbai has been a traditional stronghold and birthplace of the Indian National Congress, also known as the Congress Party.[157] Sony VGN-P21S/W Battery The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay from 28–31 December 1885.[158] 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.[159] Sony VGN-P21Z/G Battery The 1960s saw the rise of regionalist politics in Bombay, with the formation of the Shiv Sena on 19 June 1966, out of a feeling of resentment about the relative marginalisation of the native Marathi people in Bombay.[160] The party headed a campaign to expel South Indian and North Indian migrants by force.[161]Sony VAIO VGN-SR19XN Battery The Congress had dominated the politics of Bombay from independence until the early 1980s, when the Shiv Sena won the 1985 Bombay municipal corporation elections.[162] 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. Sony VAIO VGN-SR21M/S Battery In 1999, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) separated from the Congress, but later allied with the Congress, to form a joint venture known as the Democratic Front.[163]Currently, other parties such as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and several independent candidates also contest elections in the city.[164] Sony VAIO VGN-SR21RM/H Battery In the Indian national elections held every five years, Mumbai is represented by six parliamentary constituencies: Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai South.[165] A Member of Parliament (MP) to the Lok Sabha, Sony VAIO VGN-SR29VN Battery the lower house of the Indian Parliament, is elected from each of the parliamentary constituencies. In the 2009 national elections, out of the six parliamentary constituencies, five were won by the Congress, and one by the NCP.[166] In the Maharashtra state assembly elections held every five years, Mumbai is represented by 36 assembly constituencies. Sony VAIO VGN-SR31M Battery A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) is elected from each of the assembly constituencies. In the 2009 state assembly elections, out of the 36 assembly constituencies, 17 were won by the Congress, 6 by the MNS, 5 by the BJP, 4 by the Shiv Sena, 3 by the NCP and 1 by SP.[169] Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/P Battery Elections are also held every five years to elect corporators to power in the BMC.[170] The Corporation comprises 227 directly elected Councillors representing the 24 municipal wards, five nominated Councillors having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration, and a Mayor whose role is mostly ceremonial. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/S Battery In the 2007 municipal corporation elections, out of the 227 seats, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance secured 111 seats, holding power in the BMC, while the Congress-NCP alliance bagged 85 seats.[174] The tenure of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Municipal Commissioner is two and a half years. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/W Battery Public transport systems in Mumbai include the Mumbai Suburban Railway, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses, black-and-yellow meter taxis, auto rickshaws and ferries. Suburban railway and BEST bus services together accounted for about 88% of the passenger traffic in 2008. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4VR/H Battery