Pune to Maharashtra Transport Service

Maharashtra is a state in the western and central peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdivision globally. It was formed on 1 May 1960 by splitting the bilingual Bombay State, which had existed since 1956, into majority Marathi-speaking Maharashtra and Gujarati-speaking Gujarat as a result of nationwide organization of states on the basis of language.

 Maharashtra is divided into 6 divisions and 36 districts, with the state capital being Mumbai, the most populous urban area in India, and Nagpur serving as the winter capital. Marathi is the most widely spoken language and is the state’s only official language.

Spread over 307,713 km2 (118,809 sq mi), Maharashtra is the third-largest state by area in India. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the southeast and Chhattisgarh to the east, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the north, and the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the northwest. Godavari and Krishna are the two major rivers in the state. 

The forest cover in the state is 16.47% of the state’s geographical area. Out of the total cultivable land in Maharashtra, about 60% is used for grain crops such as millets in the Deccan region and rice in coastal Konkan and other high rainfall areas. Maharashtra provides legal protection to its tiger population through six dedicated tiger reserves under the precincts of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. 

The state has three international airports, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai), Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (Nagpur), and Pune Airport (Lohegaon, Pune). The state is home to three railways headquarters viz. Central Railway (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus), Konkan Railway (CBD Belapur) and Western Railway (Churchgate).

Nagpur hosts the winter session of the state legislature. The High Court of the state viz. Bombay High Court is located in Mumbai. The state contributes 48 seats and 19 seats to the lower house Lok Sabha and the upper house Rajya Sabha, respectively. Maharashtra has been subject to President’s rule three times since its formation for a total of 156 days for different reasons. More than three-fourths of the population practise Hinduism, which is followed by Islam and Buddhism. The predominant ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra is the Marathi people, who speak the Marathi language.

The Maratha Empire was a prominent kingdom based in Maharashtra. Prior to Indian independence, the state was ruled by the Satavahana dynasty, Rashtrakuta dynasty, Western Chalukyas, Deccan sultanates, Mughals, and the British. Ruins, monuments, tombs, forts, and places of worship left by these rulers are dotted around the state.

 The state is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta caves and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus). Pune is known as the ‘Oxford of the East’ due to the presence of several well-known educational institutions. Nashik is known as the ‘Wine Capital of India’ as it has the largest number of wineries and vineyards in the country.

Maharashtra is the most industrialised state in India and the state’s capital, Mumbai is India’s financial and commercial hub. The state has played a significant role in the country’s social and political life and is widely considered a leader in terms of agricultural and industrial production, trade and transport, and education.

 Maharashtra is among the most developed Indian states and continues to be the single largest contributor to the national economy with a share of 12% in the country’s GDP. The economy of Maharashtra is the largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹26.61 trillion (US$350 billion) and GSDP per capita of ₹188,784 (US$2,500). Maharashtra is the fifteenth-highest ranking among Indian states in the human development index.