The city originally extended from the southern tip of the peninsula to the Mahim and Sion Creeks in the north. This region was called Old Bombay (the downtown area), and the area north of this was called Greater Bombay. Old Bombay being a city didn’t have a district capital, whereas a capital was created in the largely semi-urban uptown Greater Bombay. However with the population boom, the city limits were expanded up to Dahisar in the north and Mulund in the northeast.

The terms Old and Greater Bombay are almost archaic. It is now more commonly known as town and suburbs respectively. The terms townie and suburbanite are used to refer to populace of the two regions. Despite the blurring of boundaries, highway milestones are still calibrated keeping Flora Fountain in South Bombay as the starting point of the city.
Flora Fountain

Residents of the neighbouring townships of Mira Road, Thané and the satellite city of New Bombay often refer to themselves as city residents, as they share the same area and postal codes; often creating confusion in the minds of outsiders.

Administrative divisions of Mumbai

The city of Mumbai, India, is divided into administrative divisions.

Greater Mumbai is the urban agglomeration of 18 million people (largest in India and one of the six largest in the world) which comes under the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai employs 1,40,626 people in different categories. The Corporation operates an annual budgetary outlay in excess of Rs. 3300 Crores. (US$ 720 million approx.) Two offices that hold the balance of prestige & powers in the City Government are those of the Honorable Mayor of Mumbai and the Municipal Commissioner. The office of the Mayor combines a functional role of Chairing the Corporation meeting as well as ceremonial role associated with being the First Citizen of the Premier City of India. As per the amended Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, a Deputy Mayor is appointed by the Mayor. The tenure of the Mayor & the Deputy Mayor shall be of two and half years.

The Commissioner, a key figure in the local self government is the executive head is virtually under constant pressure by the citizens’ councilors and the state administration. Each section looks upon him expectantly for results in the administration. He is the final administrative authority for the local self government of Mumbai.

Mumbai is also represented in the Parliament of India and Maharashtra Assembly (Legislature) - elections for which are held every 5 years.

For administrative purposes, Greater Mumbai is divided into 6 zones, each consisting of 3 to 5 wards named alphabetically.