Thane Creek

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Thane Creek
ठाणे खाडी
Creek
ThaneCreek - August 2016.jpg
Thane Creek
India Maharashtra location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Thane Creek
Coordinates: 19°01′N72°58′E / 19.02°N 72.97°E / 19.02; 72.97
Country India
State Maharashtra
District, Metro Thane,Mumbai
Named for Thane
Languages
 • Official Marathi
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
Designations
Official nameThane Creek
Designated13 April 2022
Reference no.2490 [1]

Thane Creek, previously Thana Creek, is an estuary of the Arabian Sea and one of the two main distributaries of the Ulhas River, in Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. [2] The Ulhas splits at the northeast corner of Salsette island into its two main distributaries, the other one being the Vasai Creek, both of which empty into the Arabian Sea. The creek forms the eastern boundary of Salsette island and separates the island from mainland of Konkan. It gets its name from the city of Thane, previously Thana, located on eastern banks of the creek.

Contents

The region of the Thane Creek has been recognized as an Important Bird Area by the Bombay Natural History Society, as it is home to various avian species. In particular, it harbors populations of flamingos and several other migratory and wading birds. The area has been designated as a protected Ramsar site since 2022. [1]

Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary

Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. Lesser Flamingo Greater Flamingo in Mumbai (Bombay).jpg
Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary.

The Maharashtra Government has declared the area along the western bank of the Thane Creek as the "Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary"(TCFS). [3] It is Maharashtra's second notified marine sanctuary after the Malvan Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary was notified by Govt. Gazette on 6 August 2015.

The TCFS lies on the Central Asian Flyway of the Asia Pacific Global Migratory Flyway. [4] In 2022, the teams of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) counted more than 130,000 flamingoes in Thane creek. The greater flamingo and lesser flamingo are the two flamingo species present in the sanctuary. [5] Alongside the flamingoes, 167 species of birds and small mammals like golden jackals are also present. [6] [7] [8]

The total area of the TCFS is 16.9 square kilometres (1,690 ha) [which includes 8.96 square kilometres (896 ha) of mangrove forests and 7.94 square kilometres (794 ha) of water body]. [9]

Islands

Numerous islands are located in Thane Creek such as Elephanta Island , Butcher Island and an unnamed island between Thane and Kalwa.

Railway bridges

Tanna railway viaducts
Tanna Village and Smaller Viaduct (12671597053).jpg
Tanna Railway Viaduct (9142699593).jpg
The smaller railway viaduct (top) and the longer railway viaduct (bottom) near Tanna (present day Thane) in 1855.

Thane railway bridge or Thane railway viaduct is the oldest rail bridge constructed on this creek. The bridge lies between Thane and Parsik tunnel, Kalwa. It has two sections, as there is an island in middle, a smaller section built of stones and concrete and a longer section built of stone and concrete but with a steel girder in middle. The first railway bridges in the country, they were built over the Thane creek when the Mumbai-Thane line was extended to Kalyan in May 1854. A report from Bombay Times elaborately describing the route for an account of a first trial journey of 18th November 1852 between Bombay and Tannah (before the official opening on 16th April 1853) also gave details on the Tannah-Callian (today, Kalyan) section, then under construction. It said that the railway [route] bent quickly towards 'the viaduct' on entering the village. This refers to the two old Thane creek bridges, that spanned the creek on the original line.

A new parallel railway bridge, also with two sections, has been constructed for local trains , [10] on the harbour line of Mumbai suburban railway.

Another railway bridge connecting Mankhurd and Vashi was opened later.

Road bridges

There are numerous road bridges over Thane Creek.

The first Kalwa Bridge ( 19°11′49″N72°59′08″E / 19.19682°N 72.98553°E / 19.19682; 72.98553 (Kalwa Bridge (first)) ) was built in 1863 and was first road bridge across Thane creek. The 350 m (1,150 ft) long bridge has ten pillars and ten arches. Following a structural audit conducted on the bridge in 2010, it was deemed unsafe for use by heavy vehicles, and only two and three-wheelers were permitted to use the bridge. According to officials the bridge's structure had suffered damage from a collision with a barge in 2006. The bridge was closed to all motor vehicle traffic from midnight on 3 August 2016, and only pedestrians were permitted to use the bridge. The bridge will not be demolished as it is classified as a heritage structure. [11] [12] [13] [14]

The second Kalwa Bridge was opened in 1995. The third Kalwa Bridge was partially opened to traffic on 13 November 2022, and was fully opened on 10 March 2023.

Airoli bridge connects Mulund and Airoli. It was opened in 1999.

Vashi Bridge was built in 1973 and connected Mankhurd and Vashi. This old bridge as been closed for traffic and been replaced by a newer bridge which as opened in 1997. A third bridge is currently under construction.

Mumbai Trans Harbour Link connects Sewri and Chirle. It was opened in 2024.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thane</span> Metropolis in Maharashtra, India

Thane is a metropolitan city located on the northwestern side of the state of Maharashtra in India and on the northeastern side of Mumbai. It is an immediate neighbour of Mumbai city proper, and a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahim</span> Neighbourhood in Mumbai City, Maharashtra, India

Mahim (Marathi: माहिम) is a neighbourhood in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Mahim Junction railway station on the Western Railway and Harbour Railway of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network is the last station of the city, as neighboring Bandra comes in Mumbai Suburb. Mahim is an ethnically and religiously diverse town and has a Hindu temple, church, mosque and Parsi fire-temple existing within a few meters of each other. The town has a large Rich and Upper Middle class Marathi population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thane district</span> District in Maharashtra, India

Thane district is a district in the Konkan Division of Maharashtra, India. At the 2011 Census it was the most populated district in the country, with 11,060,148 inhabitants; however, in August 2014 the district was split into two with the creation of a new Palghar district, leaving the reduced Thane district with a 2011 census population of 8,070,032. The headquarters of the district is the city of Thane. Other major cities in the district are Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayander, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Ambarnath, Badlapur, Murbad and Shahapur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salsette Island</span> Island off the coast of Maharashtra, India

Salsette Island is an island in Konkan division of the state of Maharashtra, along India's west coast. Administratively known as Greater Mumbai, the Mumbai Suburban district, Mira Bhayander and a portion of Thane district lie within it, making it very populous and one of the most densely populated islands in the world. It has a population of more than 20 million inhabitants living on an area of about 619 square kilometres (239 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navi Mumbai</span> Planned city in Maharashtra, India

Navi Mumbai also called New Mumbai is a planned city next to Mumbai, located in the Konkan division of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, on the mainland of India. Navi Mumbai is situated across two districts, Thane & Raigad. It is a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airoli</span> Naka of Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, India

Airoli or Airoli Naka is a residential and commercial area of Navi Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The name Airoli Naka is derived from Airoli-Diva Gaon the largest village prominent in the node node.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mumbai Harbour</span> Neighbourhood in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Mumbai Harbour, is a natural deep-water harbour in the southern portion of the Ulhas River estuary. The narrower, northern part of the estuary is called Thana Creek. The harbour opens to the Arabian Sea to the south. The historical island of Elephanta is one of the six islands that lie in the harbour.

The Harbour line is a branch line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway operated by Central Railway. It was named so because it catered to the eastern neighbourhoods along the city's natural harbour. Its termini are Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Goregaon and Panvel on the CSMT-Goregaon, CSMT-Panvel and Panvel-Goregaon routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasai Creek</span> Creek in Maharashtra, India

Vasai Creek, previously Bassein Creek, is an estuary and one of the two main distributaries of the Ulhas River, in Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. The Ulhas splits at the northeast corner of Salsette island into its two main distributaries, the other one being the Thane Creek, both of which empty into the Arabian Sea. The creek forms the northern boundary of Salsette island and separates the island from mainland of Konkan. It gets its name from the city of Vasai, previously Bassein, located on northern banks of the creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vashi Bridge</span> Bridge in India

The Vashi Bridge, also known as Thane Creek Bridge or the Second Thane Creek Bridge, is a road bridge across Thane Creek, which connects the city of Mumbai to the Indian mainland at Navi Mumbai. Opened in 1997, the bridge links the suburb of Mankhurd in Mumbai with Vashi in Navi Mumbai, the satellite city of Mumbai. It is one of four entry points into Mumbai, and handles traffic directed towards the region to the south and east of Mumbai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airoli Bridge</span> Viaduct in the Mumbai area

The Airoli Bridge is a bridge in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region of India. It was constructed to establish a direct road link between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

The Sion Panvel Expressway is a 25 km Indian highway located entirely in the state of Maharashtra, that connects Sion in Mumbai with Panvel, via Navi Mumbai. It is one of the busiest and most important roads in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and connects Mumbai with the city of Pune. The National Highway 4 and Mumbai-Pune Expressway begin at the eastern end of the expressway, at Kalamboli junction, near Panvel. The highway is also used by vehicles traveling towards Mumbai from Konkan and Goa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurla railway station</span> Mumbai subway station, India

Kurla is a railway station on the Central and Harbour lines of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. It is among the oldest railway stations in India, it being part of the original 21 mile (33.8 km) Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) section between Bombay (Mumbai) and Tannah (Thane) that opened in 1853.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mankhurd railway station</span>

Mankhurd is a railway station on the Harbour Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. It is the last stop on the line on Salsette Island before leaving for Navi Mumbai on mainland Maharashtra.

Ulwe is a suburb of Raigad District's Navi Mumbai situated beside Belapur and Nerul and home to Navi Mumbai International Airport. It is developed and maintained by CIDCO. It is soon going to come under the purview of the Panvel Municipal Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanashakti</span> Non-profit environmental organisation

Vanashakti is a non-profit environmental NGO based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was formed in 2006, by Meenakshi Menon, Namita Roy Ghose, and Peter Armand Menon. Vanashakti aims to conserve the forests, wetlands, wildlife corridors, habitats, through education and litigation to achieve its objectives of creating awareness about environmental topics, protecting and reviving rivers and preventing opencast mining in areas that are well-endowed with biodiversity. It also directs its efforts in involving local forest-dwelling communities to protect the biodiversity of the region and provides sustainable livelihood options for forest dependent and coastal communities. Vanashakti's thrust areas are forest, mangrove and wetland protection, environmental education for both urban and rural schools, livelihoods for forest based communities and scientific investigation into local environmental degradation.

Thane–Belapur Road is a major road connecting the city of Thane with Navi Mumbai. The southern end of Thane–Belapur Road starts at the Sion Panvel Highway near Juinagar. The road passes through a busy Thane – Belapur region and generally runs in a north–south direction. During the stretch between Turbhe and Digha, the Thane–Belapur Road runs completely parallel to the Trans-Harbour Line of Mumbai Suburban Railway and the stations of Airoli, Rabale, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane and Turbhe all have direct access from this road. This road also connects the cities of Thane, Kalwa, and Airoli to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

The Vikhroli-Kopar Khairane Link Road (VKLR), also known as the JVLR-Kopar Khairane-Ghansoli Bridge, is a proposed 7.5 km to 10 km, freeway grade road bridge connecting the Indian city of Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, its satellite city. The new link road would start at Eastern Express Highway (EEH) where Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) ends in Vikhroli, then cross Thane Creek and Harbour railway line and will terminate at Kopar Khairane in Navi Mumbai before ending on Thane-Belapur Road. The link would be a six-lane road of about 10 km in length including a 2-kilometre-long (1.2 mi) bridge over the Thane Creek. At present motorists have to take either the Vashi Bridge or Mulund–Airoli Link Road to go to Navi Mumbai and Pune. The new road will help motorists save time and fuel. The project is estimated to cost around ₹ 550 to 1200 crore. Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) appointed N P Bridging, as designing consultants for the project, which was supposed to submit the final report on the link road by mid-September 2016.

Digha Gaon railway station is a railway station located in the Thane district of Maharashtra, India. The station includes two platforms, each 270 meters long and 12 meters wide, designed to accommodate 12-car local trains. It will also have several passenger facilities, including two lifts, six escalators and four underpasses.

Kalwa Bridge is a road bridge across Thane Creek in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which connects the city of Thane to the Indian mainland at Kalwa. There are three separate bridges connecting Thane with Kalwa. The first Kalwa Bridge was built in 1863 and was the first bridge crossing Thane Creek. The second Kalwa Bridge was opened in 1995. The third Kalwa Bridge was partially opened to traffic on 13 November 2022, and was completed on 10 March 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 "Thane Creek". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "Elevated Churchgate-Virar corridor still stuck - Indian Express". www.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012.
  3. ↑ Deshpande, A (8 August 2015). "Mumbai gets a flamingo sanctuary". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Assainar, Raina (14 July 2024). "Navi Mumbai: State Government Forms Committee To Protect Nerul Flamingos And Mangrove Forests". The Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "More than 130,000 flamingoes visited Thane creek this year: Dept". Hindustan Times. 30 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary secures recognition as Ramsar site". The Indian Express. 14 August 2022. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  7. ↑ Jadhav, R (4 April 2023). "Thane: Golden jackals spotted at flamingo sanctuary". Mid-Day. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  8. ↑ Naik, Y (30 November 2022). "Study launched on golden jackals in city's mangrove patches". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Koshy, J (6 February 2019). "Bullet train gets green light via flamingo haven, national park". The Hindu Newspaper. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021.
  10. ↑ 158 years on, central railway bridges vital gap
  11. ↑ "After Mahad tragedy, authorities shut down 153-year-old bridge in Thane". Hindustan Times. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  12. ↑ Badgeri, Manoj. "Kalwa bridge shut for structural audit". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "Thane police shut 153-year-old Kalwa bridge". DNA India. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Mahad bridge tragedy: Now, 153-year-old Kalwa bridge in Thane shut down by authorities". Firstpost. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
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