CIDCO

CIDCO is an acronym of the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO). Completely owned by the State Government incorporated as a company on 17th march 1970 it is a public sector undertaking of the Government. CIDCO is notified by the State Government as the New Town Development Authority (NTDA). The Government later widened the scope of CIDCO’s activities delegating the responsibility as the Special Development Authority (SPA). Today CIDCO has earned a reputation as the premier town planning and development agency in the country. Mumbai’s increasing industrial and commercial importance attracted the people coming here from other parts of the county in search of livelihood. Due to insular nature, the city grew up vertically taking the natural diversion since it had horizontally reached a dead-end. This gave rise to the suburbs. The haphazard growth of residential units resulted in meager civic amenities such as good drainage, recreation and playground facilities for children, school facilities, hospital,s, and other medical facilities. Industrial and residential areas sprung up mingling with each other resulting in certain health problems. Slums like Dharavi, tagged as the largest slums in Asia, had sprung by this time. The idea of a new city adjacent to Mumbai is the brainchild of Mr. H. Foster King, an architect, and planner of the Gregson, Batley, and King Company. He was also a partner of the company. On 14th June 1945 in his speech at the Indian Institute of Architects, he asserted, “It is the time to think of setting up a city on the East of Bombay across the (Thane) harbour”.