Mira Road (Marathi pronunciation: [miɾaː]) is a suburb north of Mumbai, in Thane District, and is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It falls within the jurisdiction of Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate. Mira Road is situated in the north-western portion of Salsette Island, Maharashtra state, India.
History
The rise of Mumbai's real estate prices has been instrumental in the development of the Mira-Bhayandar region. From 1947 onwards, primarily developed by Bharat Shah, the rise in real estate prices prompted several largely lower-and middle-income families to migrate to the satellite cities of Mumbai, like Virar, Vasai, and Nalasopara. At that time, the Mira-Bhayandar area was part of a Gram Panchayat, and consisted primarily of agricultural land, majorly rice. This delayed and deterred builders from starting development projects. By 1980, builders began to buy agricultural land and start developing townships.
The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Council was set up on June 12, 1985, by integrating five Gram Panchayats, which included the Mira Gram Panchayat, from which Mira Road got its name.
thumb|left|An apartment in Mira Road (East)
By 1990, the council was extended, and it held the first election. Gilbert Mendonca was elected as the first president of the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Council.
As it is located very close to the city, with easy accessibility by road as well as railway, and the facilities for the city also extending to this town, have resulted in an increase in population, and Mira Bhayandar as a whole, developed further.
The Municipal Council later on, 28 February 2002, was changed to a Municipal Corporation due to its large population, and had its first elected mayor, Smt. Maira Mendonca on 11 August. Mira Road and its neighbouring suburb Bhayandar began emerging as a fast-developing suburb and experienced economic development mainly due to its manufacturing sector. Most of the development, has occurred only on the east side, whereas the west side of the railway line is covered with salt pans and mangroves. The entire Mira-Bhayandar region lies just outside the Mumbai Suburban district and officially belongs to Thane district, despite being closer to the island of Mumbai. The Mira-Bhayandar region comprises an area of 79 km<sup>2</sup>. A marshy creek divides Mumbai and Mira Road. The western part of the city is completely made up of barren lands, where salt pans were situated in the past. In the north lies Vasai Creek, to the east the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Uttan coast, to the west. It mainly is of Deccan lava terrain and consists of waterlogged and marshy areas. The climate experienced here is a tropical, wet and dry climate.
Hospitals
- Bhaktivedanta Hospital
- Wockhardt Hospital (Umrao Hospital)
Schools / Academy
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vidyalaya (S.V.P.V)
- N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research
- Seven Square Academy