Development Plan
The Draft Development Plan (DPP) was submitted to the State Government on 10th October 1975 and was subsequently approved. Navi Mumbai is planned for a population of 2 million with a potential to accommodate another 1.5 to 2 million. It is estimated that the ultimate population may be of 3 to 4 million.
The DDP envisaged polycentric pattern of planning and development of Navi Mumbai initially for 20 nodes, i.e. townships. These nodes would connect each other around the Central Business District (CBD) of Navi Mumbai to be developed in Belapur node. It is 20 times larger than Nariman Point, Mumbai's Central Business District. All major Central and State Government offices, banks and other commercial establishments were planned here. The development plan since then has been modified from time to time as the changing needs.
Development across the creek got a boost with the Thane Creek Bridge connecting Mankhurd and Vashi, constructed by PWD, getting open for traffic in 1972. Vashi was selected as the node for early development. Belapur was the second node to be taken up for the development that started with Panvel Creek Bridge. In 1972, construction of building for Konkan Region Commissionarate offices started in Belapur. It was the first landmark building in the area and since then it is recognised as Konkan Bhavan.
Gradually CIDCO developed 14 nodes of the city which are divided in North and South parts. The 7 nodes fall in the North part Airoli, Kopar Khairane, Vashi, Sanpada, Nerul and CBD Belapur; on the Southern part Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Pushpak, Panvel, Ulwe and Dronagiri are the other 7 node. Today in this periphery two municipal bodies have been established Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation in the North and Panvel Municipal Corporation in the South.