Yes you heard it right, Bengaluru was the first city in whole of Asia to install electric streetlight for the public. Today i.e, August 5 2020 marks the 115th anniversary of this historic event which kannadigas are proud of. On this day in 1905, around 5.30 pm the first electric streetlight were lit on the streets of present day K.R.Market.
Though Kolkata was the first city to use electricity to lit light in 1879 and again in 1881 but Bengaluru was the first of its kind to provide electric streetlight in public places. The hydroelectricity generated at Shivanasamudra waterfalls was used to light the Bengaluru city. Primarily, hydroelectricity was used for mining works in K.G.F. The transmission lines passed through Bengaluru. When the hydroelectric power station generated excess power of about 2000HP, it was used to light up the streets in the city on the advise of Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar. The idea of harnessing power from the Shivanasamudra came from Major ACJ de Lotbiniere when Seshadri Iyer was the deewan of Mysore. Electrification within the old city was monitored by the Mysore Maharaja, while the British controlled it within the cantonment. The first power substation was installed in KR Market, which then moved to Anand Rao circle around 1920. Sir John Hewett, member of the viceroy’s council, inaugurated these road lamps.
Initially, over 800 lamps — a cluster of 4 lights on a tall castiron pole — were lit at prominent locations across the town. Two more substations were installed on MG Road and at the Cantonment Railway Station. The B-station on MG Road is claimed to be first to light up the East Parade Church. The state archives show that the electrification of the town cost Rs 6 lakh in total with an initial annual maintenance expense of Rs 50,000. Within a year there were over 1,630 domestic connections. It is said that administration earned annual revenue of about Rs 1lakh by charging Rs1 per electric bulb per month. Over the years, the iron lamp posts fell into disuse.
Two of them were moved to the BBMP office premises a couple of years ago.
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