Maharashtra gets its 36th district - Palghar; carved out of India's most populous Thane district

Maharashtra's 36th district Palghar was craved out of India's most populous Thane district on Friday

On the inaugural function, Chavan said the government will take all necessary steps to ensure that Palghar is developed into a "modern district".

Chavan further added, "We will make Palghar as the most modern and model district in the country and every facility would be provided to it. Assistance of agency like CIDCO or any other similar agencies will be taken to develop a 'planned Palghar' district."

On a query of the district being seen as a 'tribal district', Chavan said that the government would take all measures to develop the district. He refrained to call it as a tribal district.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan  on Friday inaugurated the administrative building of Palghar district.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan inaugurated administrative building of #Palghar district pic.twitter.com/hXbDwcusO1

— NCP (@NCPspeaks) August 1, 2014

Maharashtra today inaugurates a new district #Palghar, by bifurcating one of the largest districts in India - Thane. (1/3)

— Prithviraj Chavan (@prithvrj) August 1, 2014

CM onboard Bandra Vapi passenger travelling to Palghar to attend inaugural function of new dist Palghar. pic.twitter.com/KPhj3SPsnK

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 1, 2014

The new district will be a tribal district, and it's headquarters will be #Palghar. (2/3)

— Prithviraj Chavan (@prithvrj) August 1, 2014

Travelling to #Palghar for the Inaugural function at 11:30 am, by the Bandra Vapi Passenger train. (3/3)

— Prithviraj Chavan (@prithvrj) August 1, 2014

The proposal for a new, smaller and manageable Palghar district was hanging fire for over two decades. 

It was finally cleared June 13 by the state government and despite some political opposition, the new district came into being Friday. 

With a population of over 12 million, till Thursday, Thane held the distinction of being the most populated district in the country, spread across 9,600 sq.kms of hills, forests and coastal areas. 

Just as Thane is well-connected by Central Railway and Eastern Express Highway, the semi-industrialised Palghar has good connectivity from Western Railway and Western Express Highway, around 90 kms north of Mumbai. 

It is also a popular weekend getaway destination for Mumbaikars with its sprawling chikoo and coconut farms, the famous Kelva Beach, Vaghoba Waterfalls, Goddess Shitladevi Temple and Shirgaon Fort. 

This is the first major bifurcation of a district since 1999, when Gondiya and Gadchiroli were created in the eastern Vidarbha region of the state, taking the total count to 35 districts in Maharashtra