NANDURBAR

In Nandurbar, the district’s transport story reflects a distinctive migration pattern that sets it apart from many others. Instead of seeing large-scale migration into its towns and cities, Nandurbar has long been defined by daily outward movement, with thousands of residents travelling to neighbouring Gujarat for work. 

According to an Indian Express report (2024), people from Scheduled Tribe communities in areas such as Navapur taluka cross the state border daily to earn an average wage of Rs 350, underlining how vital transport is to their livelihoods. The flow of people across the state boundary and the daily journeys within the district illustrate how transport networks, whether trains, buses, or ferries, are central to the lives of Nandurbar’s residents. At the same time, the absence of reliable services in many localities highlights the challenges that remain, pointing to the need for stronger and more accessible connectivity across the region.

The trade routes of any region offer clues to its place in the wider currents of history. In the case of Nandurbar, these routes reveal how this corner of the Khandesh region came to hold a quiet but enduring role in the flow of commerce that once linked the Deccan with the plains of Gujarat and beyond.

Records suggest that as early as the 14th and 15th centuries, Nandurbar was recognised as a town of much importance and activity. It is notably described in the Khandesh Gazetteer (1880) as a “town so large and rich,” an observation that points to the prosperity drawn from its strategic position near important crossing points between the fertile valleys and the forested tracts of the Satpura ranges.

In these centuries, the district’s people relied chiefly on pack bullocks and carts to carry grain, wood, and other produce to larger markets. Taloda taluka was noted for its supply of timber, which was put to practical use in the making of bullock carts.

Equally notable is the district’s long history as a centre of horse trading. More than three centuries ago, traders from Maratha and Mughal camps alike sought out the horses reared and brought to Sarangkheda’s markets. This legacy remains visible today in the annual Chetak Festival, which draws buyers and onlookers as much as it did centuries ago.

As early as the 16th and 17th centuries, European travellers recorded the prosperity of the wider Khandesh region in their journals and letters. Among them was Sir Thomas Roe, an English diplomat and envoy to the Mughal court in the early 1600s, whose accounts mention how thousands of pack bullocks carried grain through this part of the Deccan, connecting local harvests to larger markets to the west and north.

Navapur, situated on the western edge of what is now Nandurbar district, drawing on his account is noted in the Khandesh Gazetteer (1880) as a significant hub in this trade. In the 17th century, it was known for what the Gazetteer described as “a large pack bullock trade in grain, and a very great production of tobacco, indigo, and opium.” Such goods were staples of the region’s economy and vital to its ties with Gujarat and the northern plains.

Timber and cart-making remained important throughout this period. Bhil communities, among the older inhabitants of the district, were closely engaged in felling and transporting wood from the forests of Taloda and the surrounding areas. Carts crafted in Taloda were widely sought after in Burhanpur (Madhya Pradesh) and across the Khandesh plain. Together, these accounts point to a region whose position and produce kept it connected to larger commercial routes for centuries.

The introduction of the railway to the Nandurbar district marked a turning point in its integration with regional trade networks. The Bhusawal–Surat broad-gauge line, opened in 1899, connected the district to key urban centres and facilitated the movement of agricultural goods such as grains, pulses, chillies, and timber. It is noted in the Dhule district Gazetteer (1974), this connectivity transformed Nandurbar’s economic landscape by expanding its access to distant markets in Ahmedabad, Surat, and Mumbai.

In the present day, the district falls under the Western Railway zone and is served by ten railway stations, including Nandurbar (NDB), Navapur (NWU), and Chinchpada (CPD). These stations connect the district to neighbouring regions and states, sustaining a vital transport link for local communities.

Among these, Navapur railway station stands out due to its unusual administrative positioning. The station is situated directly on the border between Maharashtra and Gujarat. In 1960, when Gujarat was carved out of the Bombay State, the newly drawn state boundary happened to pass through the station platform itself. A yellow line painted across the platform demarcates the division: one half of the station lies in Gujarat, while the other remains in Maharashtra.

This unusual aspect has given rise to several logistical challenges. For instance, while the station master’s office is located on the Gujarat side, ticket counters fall under Maharashtra’s jurisdiction. Even routine matters, such as electricity bill payments, require coordination between the two state administrations. Emergencies, too, are affected. A report in the Deccan Herald (2024) recounts an incident where a woman gave birth on a train at Navapur, but confusion over which state bore responsibility delayed medical assistance, despite a hospital being located just 500 metres away.

Other than its administrative novelty, Navapur station holds a significant place for the local community. Many residents from Navapur taluka, particularly from Scheduled Tribe communities, rely on the rail network to migrate for work. With limited employment opportunities within the district, thousands of workers travel daily to towns in southern Gujarat, where industrial and service-sector jobs offer comparatively better wages. An article in the Indian Express (2024) estimated that many of these migrant workers earn around ₹350 per day, sums that support entire families back home.

Nandurbar’s bus network plays an important role in keeping the district connected, especially given its varied landscape of plains and the hilly terrain of the Sahyadris. For many residents, buses are the main link between rural villages and urban centers, providing critical access to markets, schools, health services, and jobs.

Public transport in the district is primarily run by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). MSRTC buses form the backbone of daily travel for farmers, traders, students, and workers who depend on reliable routes for both short and long-distance journeys. Alongside the state-run fleet, private bus operators also serve local and inter-district routes. 

A familiar sight on Nandurbar’s roads is the “Laal Pari” (Red Fairy) bus service. Known for its distinctive red livery, the Laal Pari has connected remote villages to towns for decades, bridging gaps in a region where other transport options remain limited. The significance of these buses is captured in Laal Pari: A Road Fairy, a documentary that highlights the daily challenges faced by drivers and passengers in districts like Nandurbar and Dhule.

However, locals say that parts of Nandurbar, especially remote areas, still need better accessibility and more reliable bus connections.

Before the expansion of roads and bridges, the Tapti River served as a key transport artery in Nandurbar. In regions where overland travel was difficult due to terrain or lack of infrastructure, riverine routes provided essential links between settlements.

The Khandesh Gazetteer (1880) records that, at the time, at least 48 boats operated along the Tapti, with one stationed in Nandurbar town itself. Interestingly, many of these boats (mainly made from teak) were built in nearby villages such as Prakasha and Sarangkheda. This boat-building tradition highlights how river routes once played an important part in daily life and local trade before bridges and roads became the main links between settlements.

Nandurbar district is served by a mix of local and regional newspapers that document district-level developments alongside broader state and national news. Local publications, particularly in Marathi, provide regular coverage of civic issues, administrative updates, and community events.

Among the local newspapers, Daily Nanddarshan is noted for its focus on district-specific reporting. It covers matters of local governance, infrastructure, agriculture, and public services relevant to residents across the district.

An initiative of particular note when it comes to newspapers in the district is Aadiwasi Janjagruti, launched in 2017 by Nitesh Bhardwaj under the SBI Youth for India fellowship. Operated by the Ulgulan for Social Change Foundation, the project began in the Dhadgaon block and later expanded across the district. It uses mobile video journalism, notably, to report in language varieties such as Powari, Bhili, and Ahirani.

Its format is akin to citizen-led reporting on issues of social justice, entitlements, and local governance. These short films are produced and disseminated by members of indigenous communities and stand out in its way of how information is being shared and documented in the region. For its work, the initiative has received much national and international recognition. In 2022, it was selected for the Google News Equity Fund, which supports small publishers creating original journalism for underrepresented communities. That same year, a road in Harankhuri village in the district was named after the initiative in recognition of its contributions.

In addition to local efforts, larger Marathi newspapers such as Lokmat include dedicated sections for Nandurbar.