Matheran
Matheran is an automobile-free hill station and a municipal council in the Karjat taluka of the Raigad district located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Matheran is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and one of the smallest hill stations in India. It is located in the Western Ghats, at an elevation of around 800 m (2,625 feet) above sea level. It is about 90 km from Mumbai, and 120 km from Pune. This proximity to these urban areas makes it a weekend getaway for many. Matheran, which means "forest on the forehead" (of the mountains) in Marathi, is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. It is Asia's only automobile-free hill station.
Matheran | |
|---|---|
Hill station Mumbai Metropolitan Region | |
Picture of Matheran hidden in clouds, from the tracks of the Matheran Toy Train | |
Matheran Location in Maharashtra, India | |
| Coordinates: 18.9866°N 73.2679°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District | Raigad |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Council |
| • Body | Matheran Hill Station Municipal Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7 km2 (3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 800 m (2,600 ft) |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 5,139 |
| • Density | 730/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Marathi |
| • Spoken | Marathi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 410102 |
| Telephone code | 02148 |
| Vehicle registration | MH-46 |
| Nearest city | Karjat |
| Website | http://www.matheran.net.in/en/ |
There are many hotels and Parsi bungalows in the area. Old British colonial architecture is preserved in Matheran. The roads are made of red laterite earth.