Raigad district (Marathi pronunciation: [ɾaːjɡəɖ]), previously Colaba district, is a district in the Konkan division of Maharashtra, India.[2] The headquarters of the district is Alibag. Other major cities in the district are Panvel, Karjat, Navi Mumbai, Khopoli, Shrivardhan and Mahad.

Raigad district
Clockwise from top-left: Elephanta Caves, Hills near Matheran, Kalamboli, Hills around Raigad Fort, Shivaji statue in Alibag
Location in Maharashtra
Location in Maharashtra
Country India
StateMaharashtra
DivisionKonkan
HeadquartersAlibag
Tehsils1. Alibag,
2. Panvel,
3. Murud,
4. Pen,
5. Uran,
6. Karjat,
7. Khalapur,
8. Mangaon,
9. Roha,
10. Sudhagad,
11.Tala,
12. Mahad,
13. Mhasala,
14. Shrivardhan,
15. Poladpur
Government
 • BodyRaigad Zilla Parishad Alibag
 • Guardian MinisterUday Samant
(Cabinet Minister MH)
 • President Z. P. RaigadMs. Yogita Pardhi
 • District CollectorMr. Kishan Narayanrao Jawale (IAS)
 • CEO Z. P. RaigadDr. Bharat Bastewad (IAS)
 • MPsSunil Tatkare
(Raigad)
Shrirang Barne
(Maval) [1]
Area
 • Total7,152 km2 (2,761 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total2,634,200
 • Density370/km2 (950/sq mi)
 • Urban
36.91%
Demographics
 • Literacy83.14
 • Sex ratio959 per 1000 male
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Major highwaysNH-4, NH-66
Average annual precipitation3,884 mm
Websiteraigad.gov.in/en/

The district was renamed to Raigad after the fort that was the first capital of the former Maratha Empire, which in turn was renamed from its earlier name - Rairi. The fort is located in the interior regions of the district, in dense forests on a west-facing spur of the Western Ghats of Sahyadri Range. In 2011 the district had a population of 2,634,200, compared to 2,207,929 in 2001. The name was changed in the regime of Chief Minister A. R. Antulay on 1 January 1981.[3] In 2011 urban dwellers had increased to 36.91% from 24.22% in 2001.[4] Alibag is the headquarters of Raigad district.[5]

Raigad district's neighbouring districts are Mumbai, Thane districts on North, Pune district on East, Satara district on South East, Ratnagiri district is present on South side and Arabian sea on West.[6]

History

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Kulaba (also spelled Kolaba) district was split from Thane district in 1869. At this point, the northernmost parts of present-day Raigad district were retained in Thane district. Panvel, just across the bay from Mumbai, was not included 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 later renamed as Raigad district.[7]

In July 2023, a major landslide, caused by torrential rains, resulted in at least 22 deaths,[8] with more than 100 feared trapped under debris.[9][10][11][12] Over half of the houses in the hillside village, precisely 17 out of 48, were either entirely or partially buried by the debris from the landslide.[8]

Geography

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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 harbour 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, consisting of Kharghar, Ulve node, New Panvel and Khanda Colony, Taloja, Kamothe and Kalamboli nodes as well as Uran City and its port, the JNPT.

The district includes cities/towns Kharghar, Taloja, Kalamboli, Panvel, Rasayani, Karjat, Khopoli, Matheran, Uran, Pen, Alibag, Murud-Janjira, Roha, Nagothane, Sudhagad-Pali, Mangaon, Mhasla, Shrivardhan, Mahad, Birwadi, Poladpur. The largest city in terms of Population, Industrialization as well as Area is Panvel. The district also includes the isle of Gharapuri or Elephanta, located in Uran which has ancient Hindu and Buddhist caves.

Administrative subdivisions

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Raigad district is divided into eight subdivisions, with fifteen talukas, and 1,967 villages.[13]

  • Sub-Divisions: 8
  • Talukas: 15
  • Towns: 23
  • Municipal Corporation(s): 1
  • Municipal Councils: 10
  • Nagar Panchayats: 6
Subdivision Taluka km2 Census 2001 Census 2011 Panchayats[14] Villages
Alibag Alibag 500 221,661 236,167 62 218
Murud 231 72,046 74,207 24 74
Pen Pen 499 176,681 195,454 63 171
Panvel Panvel 631 422,522 750,236 90 177
Uran 184 140,351 160,303 34 62
Karjat Karjat 665 184,420 212,051 50 184
Khalapur 183 183,604 207,464 42 141
Roha Roha 643 161,750 167,110 62 162
Sudhagad 467 62,852 62,380 34 98
Mangaon Mangaon 683 152,270 159,613 74 187
Tala 250 42,869 40,619 26 61
Shrivardhan Shrivardhan 120 85,071 83,027 43 78
Mhasla 236 61,010 59,914 40 84
Mahad Mahad 1,257 186,521 180,191 134 183
Poladpur 373 54,301 45,464 43 87
Total 15 7,152 2,207,929 2,634,200 821 1,967

Municipal Civic Bodies

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Panvel (in Navi Mumbai city) is the main Municipal Corporations responsible for services. MMRDA, CIDCO, and NAINA are the special planning authorities operational in Raigad district.

Municipal Corporations

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Municipal Councils

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Nagar Panchayats

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Proposed Municipal Council(s)

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Proposed Nagar Panchayats

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Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901721,083—    
1911714,371−0.09%
1921677,586−0.53%
1931756,315+1.11%
1941805,157+0.63%
1951909,083+1.22%
19611,058,855+1.54%
19711,263,003+1.78%
19811,486,452+1.64%
19911,824,816+2.07%
20012,207,929+1.92%
20112,634,200+1.78%
source:[15]
Religions in Raigad district (2011)[16]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
85.01%
Islam
8.64%
Buddhism
4.62%
Christianity
0.66%
Jainism
0.47%
Other or not stated
0.60%

According to the 2011 census Raigad district has a population of 2,634,200,[17] roughly equal to the nation of Kuwait[18] or the US state of Nevada.[19] This gives it a ranking of 153rd in India (out of a total of 640).[17] The district has a population density of 368 inhabitants per square kilometre (950/sq mi).[17] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.31%.[17] Raigad has a sex ratio of 959 females for every 1000 males,[17] and a literacy rate of 83.14%. 36.83% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 5.12% and 11.58% of the population respectively.[17]

Languages in Raigad district (2011)[20]

  Marathi (79.04%)
  Hindi (7.06%)
  Urdu (5.86%)
  'Other' Marathi (1.01%)
  Gujarati (0.90%)
  Others (6.13%)

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 79.04% of the population in the district spoke Marathi, 7.06% Hindi, 5.85% Urdu and 0.90% Gujarati as their first language. 1.01% of the population recorded their language as 'Others' under Marathi.[20]

The most populous tribes are the Katkari, Thakar and Mahadev Koli.[21]

Transport

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Raigad District is connected to Mumbai by Sion Panvel Expressway. The Mumbai-Pune expressway and NH4 passes through Panvel. NH 66, which starts at Panvel, traverses the whole district.[22] The Konkan Railway line starts at Roha and passes through Mangaon and Veer in Mahad. The Central Railway Line of Mumbai to Pune passes through Karjat with Extension Line for Karjat to Khopoli. Panvel Junction is the most important railway station in the district; it is connected to Mumbai (by both the Harbour Line and Main Line of Central Railway), Thane (by Trans-Harbour Line), Roha, Vasai (Western Railway) and Karjat. All trains, ranging from passengers to Rajdhanis stop here, and it is considered the gateway for travelling south. There is a narrow gauge railroad from Neral to Matheran, called the Matheran Hill Railway. The main ports are JNPT, Mandava, Revas, Murud, Dighi and Shrivardhan.[22]

Education

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After the British took over the old Colaba and this region, they established four Anglo-Vernacular medium school and 30 government schools in the year 1865–66. In the year 1861 the first school for girls was started in Alibag. The Mission Church started the first English school in Alibag in 1879. Prabhakar Patil Education Society (PNP education Society) runs 27 Institutes: Five Primary English & Marathi Schools, Twenty Seven Secondary Marathi Schools, One Arts, Science & Commerce Jr. & Sr. College, One English & Marathi Medium D. Ed College, One B. Ed. College, One Polytechnic Institute and One MMS College.[citation needed] Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) established National Institute of Securities Markets at Patalganga, tal Khalapur. Two more old and valuable institutions in Raigad District named Vasantrao Naik College Murud And Mhasla, established by the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra A. R. Antulay.[citation needed]

The Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University is a unitary, autonomous university located at Lonere in Raigad district, established in 1989 under the Government of Maharashtra Act 1983.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "Election Commission website" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  2. ^ "List of districts in Maharashtra". districts.nic.in. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  3. ^ "रायगड जिल्हा". Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Raigarh District Population 2011". Census Organisation of India.
  5. ^ "District Map". Government of Maharashtra. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  6. ^ Sawadi, A.B. (2020). महाराष्ट्राचा भूगोल (in Marathi). Pune, India: Nirali publication. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Thane District". DOT-Maharashtra Tourism. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Maharashtra: Raigad landslide death toll rises to 26, search operation continued for third day". 22 July 2023.
  9. ^ Mascarenhas, Francis; Jamkhandikar, Shilpa (20 July 2023). "Ten dead, more than a 100 feared trapped in landslide in India after heavy rain". Reuters. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  10. ^ "India: Deadly landslide traps several under debris – DW – 07/20/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Landslide in Maharashtra's Raigad, 22 people rescued, many feared trapped". The Times of India. 20 July 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  12. ^ "India: Five dead, some trapped, in landslide in Maharashtra after heavy rain". WION. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  13. ^ "District details". Raigad District, Maharashtra State.
  14. ^ "Block Panchayats of Raigad, Maharashtra". National Panchayat Directory, Panchayat Informatics Division, National Informatics Centre, Government of India. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011.
  15. ^ Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
  16. ^ "Population by Religion - Maharashtra". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "District Census Hand Book – Raigad" (PDF). Census of India. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  18. ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Kuwait 2,595,62
  19. ^ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2011. Nevada 2,700,551
  20. ^ a b "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Maharashtra". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  21. ^ 2008 Revised Gazetteer of Raigad
  22. ^ a b "How to reach ? | District Raigad, Government of Maharashtra | India". Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  23. ^ "University Grant Commission". Retrieved 19 November 2012.
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18°39′00″N 72°52′48″E / 18.65000°N 72.88000°E / 18.65000; 72.88000