The first post-independence development plan for Bombay, formulated by the Mayer-Modak Committee in 1948, suggested satellite towns north of Bombay. Ten years later, the Barve committee suggested the formation of a township on the mainland across the Thane Creek as a counter-magnet to draw away population from the already overcrowded city. This proposal was accepted by the BMC. Although the plan lay dormant for a long time, this was the beginning of New Bombay.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has an area of 162 Sq.km under its supervision. The population of the city as per the census 1991 was 3,97,000 which has increased to 7,50,000 as indicated in the census figures in 2001. ( A rise of 88.91%).

The NMMC for the purpose of administration has been divided into nodes. There are 8 nodes in the city. Each of the nodes is divided into groups. These groups are blocks of one or more sector in each of the node. Each group is further subdivided into bits. The administration work is then controlled on a bit basis. Each bit has a supervisor who is required to ensure that all the facilitites provided by the NMMC are in order.

Similarly there are 88 electoral wards in Navi Mumbai. A corporator is elected from each of the wards. The administrative bits will lie in one of the wards.

The NMMC also has 8 departments. These departments are classified based on the services that they offer to the citizens.