Wadala Road

Wadala Road is a station on the Harbour Line of Mumbai's railway network.

Marathi: वडाळा रोड

Wadala (west) remains one of the best residential areas on the whole city, with some of the quietest localities, large parks for both youngsters as well as senior citizens. The roads are shaded by huge trees over 150 years old. And the extremely large concentration of educational institutes makes it a hub for students in the day time, while leaving it empty and calm in the night time.

Wadala has several schools and some of the finest colleges like the prestigious Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (V.J.T.I)^‡, The University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT - The name has now been changed to University Institute of Chemical Technology, UICT) and Khalsa College are located in the same vicinity. SNDT Women's University also has a campus in Wadala West.

Overview

Wadala is the only station in the whole of Mumbai that connects you to the Western, Central as well as Harbour lines. It is home to one of the oldest treatment center for Leprosy established during British rule, known as Ackworth Leprosy Hospital. Part of the sprawling complex is now given over to an AIDS Organization.

In Wadala (west), the Five Gardens is a lush green lung. Wadala also has the "Rocket Garden" another park which has now undergone a transformation from its weedy days. Asia's largest Government Colony, the Central Govt Housing Quarters, are in Wadala West.

Five minutes from the station is 400 year old Lord Vitthal Temple built by Sant Tukaram who brought the idol from Pandharpur—the original birthplace of Lord Vithal. The temple is known as ‘Prati Pandharpur’ (Pandharpur temple’s replica). One of the biggest one day festival in Mumbai is been held around this temple to devote Lord Vitthal on Ashadhi Ekadashi (According to Hindu Calendar) in June/July. Near by the temple the century old Lord Ram temple and Hanuman temple also situated. People from all over Mumbai come to these temples for offering prayers.

Few know that Wadala (East) houses two cemeteries - the Bahá'í Cemetery and the Chinese Cemetery. Adjacent to each other, these cemeteries are surrounded by slums. These cemeteries were laid out in Wadala a long time ago, for the same reason that the Ackworth Leprosy Home was built at Wadala - in those days it was a distant suburb of the 'happening' city. The dargah on a hill after the bridge ends is another Wadala landmark. The Barkat Ali Dargah is a very visited holy place. The salt pans in the east are another Wadala landmark. Wadala East also has the BPT (now MbPT housing colony), a large sprawling colony for the port workers, complete with hospital and pretty lawns where one can always see people playing the national pastime - cricket.

Wadala is also home to Asia's first and largest IMAX Dome Theatre, the ownership of which is now with Adlabs Cinemas. Next to Imax theatre is a beautiful colony developed by Ajmeras.

In Wadala East near Antop Hill, Govt. of India build Intellectual Property Office responsible for Controlling General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks in India. It also has a very popular Balaji Temple, that celebrates the "Jatra" festival each year with great gusto in the month of January. It reminds one very much of a rural "mela" but was and is still very popular.

Around 15 minutes away from Wadala Station East, past deserted trucker land, is Flamingo Bay. For the past 12 years, flamingoes have been wintering here. From December to March, thousands of them descend on the mudflats a mile from the shore, to feed on the nutrient-rich marshes. Thankfully, this ethereal view isn't commercialized, so the only people you'll see on any weekend are a bunch of nature enthusiasts, keenly gazing out onto the mudflats through their binoculars. The proposed Nhava Sheva bridge that will connect the island to the mainland will destroy their habitat, and lead to the final flight of these beautiful birds.

Wadala enjoys proximity to Dadar, a prominent locality within Bombay. Dadar East lies west of Wadala, Sion (Koliwada) to the immediate north, the sea to the east and Sewri to the south. Of late, Wadala has become an upper middle class residential locality with a large number of residential buildings springing up. Amongst the more prominent residential complexes that have sprung up here are Bhakti park Dosti Acres, Lloyds' Estate and Dosti Estates.

List of Educational Institutions

* SIWS (South Indian Welfare Society) (School & College)
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidyalankar_Institute_of_Technology Vidyalankar Campus (Engineering (UG & PG), Science and Management Colleges)]
* The Don Bosco High School
* Auxilium Convent High School
* St. Joseph's High School
* NKES (National Kannada Education Society's) High School
* AES (Andhra Education Society)
* Bansidhar Agarwal School
* Sitaram Prakash High School
* Amulakh Amichand School
* The Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly High School
* JB Vachha High School
* Nadkarni Park Municipal School
* Mumbai College Of Arts Commerce And Science (Knowledge Center)
* C.G.E.E.S High School
* Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (V.J.T.I)
* The University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT)
* Khalsa College

‡ – "Formerly known as 'Victoria Jubilee Technological Institute' ".

See also

* Mumbai Suburban Railway

Also the latest development is Bhakti Park a residential project by Ajmera Builders this is next to Imax Theatre the ownership of which now is with Adlabs. This residential complex enjoys a quiet atmosphere with a mountain view to its east side.it also has probably the biggest garden in the town measuring around 25 acres

External links

* [http://www.supplementboss.com/wadala.html Information on Local Bus Routes through Wadala]
* [http://www.vowmumbai.org/ Voluntary Citizen Group of Wadala]