Wikipedia
Bhiwandi is a city in the western state of Maharashtra, India, located 20 km to the north-east of Mumbai and 15 km to the north-east of Thane city. The exact location of Bhiwandi is . Bhiwandi city, the headquarters of the taluka of Bhiwandi, comes under the administration of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation. The city is considered a part of the Greater Mumbai metropolitan agglomeration, along with Navi Mumbai and the cities of Kalyan, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar and the Vasai-Virar region. According to the 2011 census, the total population of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation area was 711,329.
The city of Bhiwandi, known for its textile industry, has the largest number of Power looms in the country and is dubbed as 'The Manchester of NoWhere'. A major portion of the population is employed by the Power loom sector. The Mumbai-Agra highway (NH-3), passing through Bhiwandi ensures the smooth connectivity of the city with Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and the rest of India. Bhiwandi has been developing as an Industrial hub for the textile industry in the past, and all industries and logistics sector in recent times. Bhiwandi is the next development region for MMRDA, which has developed other regions such as Bandra - Kurla Complex, Mumbai Metro & Monorail Project, Eastern freeway and many more. Close proximity to Mumbai, Thane and Development of region by MMRDA, make Bhiwandi an ideal place for businesses to locate. Also availability of 24hrs power supply, and availability of workers due to proximity to Industrial city of Bhiwandi, facilitates setting up of industrial unit. Availability of Transporters having country wide presence in proximity makes it an ideal location for warehousing.
In the early Twentieth century, Bhiwandi was a small town, inhabited by Maharashtrians & kokani Muslims. The main occupation of the people was agriculture, fishing and hand looms. With the advent of electricity, the hand looms began to be quickly replaced by power looms. It became a hub of the textile industry in the 1930s.The first textile loom was set-up by Khan Saheb Samad Seth in 1927. Today the city of Bhiwandi has about half a million-power looms, though handlooms are few in number. Bhiwandi used to have a port on the river known as Kamwadi river. During 16th century the port was situated at area known as Bunder Mohalla. There was trading business of woods & Spices. There used to be a regular business and merchants used to travel frequently. At that time the merchant was called as “Saudagar”, and the area used to refer as Saudagar Mohalla. The labour who works for shipping building used to live at place today called as Sutar Wada and Hamal Wada. The worker who navigates the ship used to live at place today known as Tandel Wada. In the Moghul period Bhiwandi city was known by the name of "Islamabad". They built the Mosque by the name of Islamabad Masjid & built Eidgah situated at Eidgah road. It became a hub of the textile industry in the 1930s.
Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 48 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies of Maharashtra state in western India. This constituency came into existence on 19 February 2008 as a part of the implementation of the Presidential notification based on the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission of India constituted on 12 July 2002.