There is something mystical about new cities. Empty streets, the lights, the buzz, and the hustle-bustle excite us and create a sense of belonging. I am sure each one has felt this at a certain point in their lives. While shifting homes to different cities can be a really tedious task but the feeling of intrigue and anticipation are some emotions that are part of one’s mind. We often shift cities either for our studies or better working opportunities. Let’s know about city known as Navi Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai has been constantly described as the most inhabitable cities in India in terms of cleanliness and living conditions. It is a planned city on the west coast of Maharashtra in the Konkan division. While the city was mainly developed so that the people could avail affordable housing facilities and also to reduce the pressure on the Mumbai Metropolitan region.

History

In the late 1960s, Adi Kanga a civil engineer and his friends had stated that Mumbai had ended up being an over-populated city. Mumbai was a commercial capital and was unable to cope up with the pressures. There was a need for building up a new city, New Bombay was planned across the seven islands of the city. Many residents moved into Navi Mumbai, businesses did not. As a result, most people continue to commute to Mumbai. This has been changing in the past few years, with many IT and ITES industries setting up shop here. It is known to be around 10% cheaper than mainland Mumbai because of fewer tourists hence less touts and price gouging.

Recent Developments

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is an under-construction greenfield international airport being built at Ulwe Kopar-Panvel in Maharashtra, India. It will be the second International Airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, functioning alongside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSIA) as India’s first urban multi-airport system. Texas-based Jacobs Engineering Group will chart the final masterplan for the airport, while the airport passenger terminal and Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower will be designed by London-based Zaha Hadid Architects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the foundation plaque at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Navi Mumbai International airport in Mumbai on 18 February 2018. The GVK led Navi Mumbai International Airport (P) Limited (NMIAL), appointed Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) in March 2018 to design the Navi Mumbai International Airport’s Terminal 1 and ATC Tower.