Panvel

Panvel is a town in the Raigad district of the Indian state of Maharashtra, described as part of Navi Mumbai and densely populated because of its position between Mumbai and Pune. It is governed for development purposes by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and CIDCO, and its Panvel Municipal Corporation was the first municipal corporation in Raigad and in Maharashtra. The town stands on the banks of the Gadhi river, which runs on to the Arabian Sea, and is surrounded by hills on two sides. It is called the gate of Raigad because it is the first city a traveller meets entering the district from the west. The municipal council was established in 1852, and the town is about 300 years old, having grown along land and sea trade routes.