Dadar

This transportation hub and residential district sits in central Mumbai, built around a major railway station. The area spreads across both sides of the railway line with densely packed residential blocks, wide streets, and commercial districts extending in all directions.

Portuguese Franciscans established the Nossa Senhora de Salvação church here in 1596 on what was then a separate island. British colonial administration developed the area in the early 20th century as a planned residential neighborhood with the first coordinated urban development project in Mumbai.

The name Dadar comes from the Marathi word for frog, referring to the swamps that once covered this area. Today you see markets filled with sweets, spices, and traditional goods visited by families who have shopped here for generations.

The railway station sits centrally and connects both Western and Central suburban lines, so you can reach this area from most parts of the city. Main roads stay busy throughout the day from morning to evening, especially on weekdays during commuting hours.

The flower market opens daily at four in the morning and supplies vendors across the city with fresh blooms through small family businesses. Shivaji Park is often called a nursery because many famous cricket players trained here as children, and young athletes still practice on the public grounds today.