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Chembur

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Chembur
Chembur
Neighbourhood

Chembur (Marathi: चेंबूर) is a suburban neighbourhood in eastern Mumbai, India. Chembur is serviced by the Harbour Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It is an important transit point for people wanting to travel to Pune using the Mumbai-Pune Highway or the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. It is 22 km from downtown Mumbai and 20 km from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.

Chembur ranges from Thane Creek in East to Tansa Pipe Line No. 2 in West, from Somaiyya Nalla in North to Mahul Creek in South [1][2].

History

Chemburkar (Marathi: चेंबूरकर) is the Marathi word to signify a resident of Chembur. It is suggested that Chembur is the same place referred to as Saimur by the Arab writers (915-1137), Sibor in Kosmas Indikopleustes (535), Chemula in the Kanheri cave inscriptions (300-500), Symulla by the author of the Periplus of the Erythraean sea (247), Symulla or Timulla by Ptolemy (150), and perhaps even Perimula by Pliny (A.D. 77).[3]. This is however disputed and is also said to be a reference to Chevul at the mouth of the Kundalika River on mainland Maharashtra.

The area was occupied by dwellers who are referred to as "Chemburkars" they also have this as their surname. Chemburkars had migrated from Madhya Pradesh, India. Later the area occupied is said to have occupied a branch of an Animal Home. The Home has on an average from 800 to 1000 animals a year - cows, bullocks, buffaloes, horses, ponies, asses, deer, goats, pigs, dogs, monkeys, cats and hares; and of birds, parrots, fowls, geese, duck, pigeons, crows and peacocks.[3].

Prior to 1950, Chembur was an idle village. During those days, it used to be a favourite and proximate weekend picnic spot for the people from city. Many parts of Chembur towards the north and east (present day Tilak Nagar, Chedda Nagar and Pestom Sagar) were wetlands and were submerged during high tide. The Beggars Home was set up by the government on the Ghatkopar-Mahul road near Chembur Naka and the Home for Destitute Women on the Sion Trombay Road.

Chembur was not a part of the city until 1948-49 and later merged with the Bombay Municipal Corporation around 1949-50. Most of the social activity was around the Chembur Naka, Station Avenue, Central Avenue, Chembur Camp. The PINCODE for Chembur was then “Bombay-38”.

The first BEST bus service was introduced around mid- fifties. The two refineries, the Atomic Energy Establishment (BARC as it was called then), the Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers factory (earlier called as FCI), Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the International Institute of Population Studies came up during 1954-60. The increased industrial activity as well as garbage incinerators in close proximity also raised the level of air pollution in the neighbourhood earning it the nickname of "Gas Chamber of Mumbai". This was later controlled using several scientific methods but has still not been completely solved.

The construction by the Bombay Housing Board in Station Colony (Subash Nagar), the Shell Colony, and the Township Colony (Tilak Nagar) in 1955-58 transformed the area completely.[4]

Geography

Chembur is split by the local railway line running from Kurla towards Vashi into Chembur (East) and Chembur (West). The name Chembur is probably derived from the word “Chimboree” which means "Large Crab" in Marathi. Chembur was at the south eastern tip of Salsette Island with Trombay Island in the South East and Sion to its South West before Mumbai was reclaimed. Now, it is landlocked and surrounded by other neighbourhoods.

Sion Panvel Highway pass through Chembur.

  • Railways: Chembur and Tilak Nagar Harbour Line railway stations lie in Chembur. The Lokmanya Tilak Terminus for long distance trains is also located here.
  • Modes of Transport: Autorickshaws, taxis and BEST buses are the public modes of transport. A monorail line and a metro is also likely to come up in the near future.

Administration

Chembur lies in the Mumbai South Central parliamentary constituency. It used to lie in Mumbai North-East Parliamentary constituency prior to delimitation in 2008. After delimitation, it has been moved to Mumbai South Central parliamentary Constituency[5].

Current sitting Member of Parliament of Mumbai South Central is Eknath Gaikwad (INC).[6].

Current sitting MLAs are Mr. Chandrakant Handore and Mr. Yusuf Abrahani.

Chembur lies in the M Ward. Chembur lies in ward numbers 141 to 149 with Councillors for each representing it in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.[7].

Demographics

The northern half of Chembur is residential and the southern half is industrial.

Old bungalows and villas in the northern half are making way for high-rise apartments. Like most of the suburbs in Mumbai, Chembur has a cosmopolitan population which is dominated by Maharashtrians, Sindhis and south Indians.

Chembur has big colonies like Vasant Vihar Complex, Shell Colony, Subhash Nagar, RCF Colony, Chembur Colony and biggest of all Tilak Nagar. It also has Huge green/open spaces like Golfclub ground (big green spot ),Gandhi Maidan, Subhash Nagar Maidan, Annabhau Sathe Garden, Diamond Garden, Ambedkar Udyan, Sandu Garden, Tilak Nagar grounds (Sahyadri & Municipal Ground),Jawahar Grounds Nr.Ashish Cenema RCF.

Anushakti Nagar(staff quarters of Bhabha Atomic Research Center), lies just near the eastern boundary of Chembur. The Chembur Catholic Colony is one of the oldest establishments in the area located next to the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School and Church.

Shopping and entertainment

There are various factory outlets of renowned brands such as Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Fila, Woodland, Flying Machine, The LOOT, etc. located on the Sion-Panvel highway near Atur Park.

The Chembur Market area close to the Chembur Railway Station offers a variety of goods and services to the people of Chembur ranging from clothing to foods and vegetables. Shoppers Stop, Sahakari Bhandar, Apna Bazaar are some of the multi-product stores in Chembur. Akbarally’s has one of their oldest stores near Chembur Naka.

Chembur has several single screen movie theatres like Sahakar, Basant, New Vijay, Amar, Sharad, Ashish and Natraj cinemas. Fun Cinema has launched a multiplex in the neighborhood. K Star Mall is a shopping centre launched recently in the Diamond Garden area.

Eateries

Chembur offers a large variety of food ranging from street food to high end restaurants. Geeta Bhavan(for South Indian Thali) and Sadguru (for Pav Bhaji and Juices) are the two well known old restaurants which are still patronized by all classes of people from Chembur. Whereas, high-end restaurants like Grand Central, Orchids, Jewel of Chembur (La Cafe), Ornaments, Celebrations, Blend and Brew etc also have their presence in Chembur. Its also famous for Chat at the Gupta's and Mansarovar. There also various street side vendors who sell sandwiches and chat items. These along with Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Tastings, Naturals, Baskin-Robbins are the well-known outlets for young people to hang out with friends. There are also outlets of food chains such Domino's, Smokin' Joes,Ambrosia on the Sion-Trombay Road. There are also several sweet and dairy shops providing for several Indian sweets like jalebis, pedas etc. Jhama Sweets in Chembur Camp is very famous for its sweets (specially Jalebis and Gajar Ka Halwa). Sri Krishna Sweets, Satu's, Kashi Dairy Farm, Sweet Bengal and Saroj are also famous for its selected sweets.

Educational institutions

Chembur has several schools, colleges and institutes. It has both municipal and private schools and provides school education in English, Marathi and Urdu mediums.

Colleges

  • Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar College of Arts, Science & Commerce (P.L Lokhande Marg,Chembur)
  • Chembur Comprehensive College of Education
  • Mahatma College
  • Mahatma Education Society Night College of Commerce
  • Mahavir Education Trust's Shah & Ancher Kutchi Engineering College
  • N G Acharya & D K Marathe College of Arts, Science & Commerce
  • Sree Narayan Mandira Samiti's Commerce College
  • Swami Vivekanand College

Schools

  • Sadhu vasvani high school(S.V.H.S)
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School (OLPS)
  • St. Anthony's Girls High School.
  • General Education Academy
  • Saraswati Vidyalaya
  • AFAC English School
  • Chembur High School.
  • Chembur Karnatak High School
  • National Sarvodaya High School (NSHS) (Chembur Colony)
  • Swami Vivekananda High School
  • St. Gregorios High School
  • New Model English High School (NMEHS)
  • Shree Sanathan Dhram Vidalaya (SSDV)
  • Jawahar Vidya Bhavan (RCF,Chembur)
  • St. Sebastian's High School
  • Omkarananda Educational Foundation
  • Sri Narayan Guru High School
  • G.V.S.M. Amchi Shala, Tilak Nagar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amchi_Shala_Chembur)
  • Lokmanya Tilak High School
  • Modern English High School
  • Ryan International
  • Holy Family High School (Pestom Sagar)
  • swami muktanand high school

Recreation

Bombay Presidency Golf Club at Dr Choitram Gidwani Road in Chembur(East) is one of the most prominent golf clubs in Mumbai, which also provides the biggest green cover for this neighbourhood. Chembur has various recreational clubs such as Acre's along with several Gymkhanas such as Chembur Gymkhana, Chedda Nagar Gymkhana. Chembur also has several fitness centres, the Municipal Swimming Pool, libraries etc. Some grounds have also added jogging tracks around them for people to exercise. Newly opened Dilip Vengsarkar Cricket academy and Mahesh Bhupati Tennis Foundation is also making Chembur fitter.

Famous people from Chembur

Railway station

Chembur is an important railway station on the Central Railway's Harbour line. It is the 13th Station and 18 kilometers by rail from Mumbai CST. The next station, Tilak Nagar also falls under the jurisdiction of Chembur and was built to decongest Chembur Railway station.

References

  1. ^ "M West limits".
  2. ^ "M East limits(includes Mankhurd and Govandi - excluded here)".
  3. ^ a b http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/pdf/gazeetter_reprint/Thane-III/places_Chembur.html
  4. ^ "History of Chembur".
  5. ^ "Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order - 2008" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Sitting Members of the Lok Sabha".
  7. ^ "MCGM Councillors list".
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