Thread by @dhavalkulkarni

The #BEST, which provides public transport & supplies power to #Mumbai is an undertaking of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). However, in the 20th century, the #BMC had actually boycotted the use of the BEST's electricity. Thread:
#history #Mumbai #heritage

The Bombay Gas Co Ltd was launched in 1862 to provide street lighting & supply coal gas to households in #Mumbai. It however folded up over a century later.
#electricity

In 1905, the Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Co. Ltd, the predecessor of the present-day BEST was formed. It purchased a power house with 110 HP generators & had 107 consumers!

It expanded its electricity generation with 4300 KW steam power generation at Wadi Bunder (1907) & started purchasing electricity from the Tatas in 1916. Power generation was discontinued in 1925. The Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) eventually took over the BEST in 1947.

George V was coronated as the King of the United Kingdom & the British Dominions in 1910. The Govt and the people of #Mumbai vied with each other to light the city in celebration.

#Mumbai was known for its electric lighting, otherwise a rarity in those days. People from across the country came here to watch the lighting during these coronation celebrations.

Sir Pherozeshah Mehta was then the president of the BMC. The post of president was changed to mayor later. There was a dispute between the BMC and BEST over issues like power tariffs.

After negotiations broke down, Mehta issued an order that the facade of municipal buildings will not be lit using the BEST's electricity, but by lamps in coloured glass covers. These lamps would be lit using khobrel tel (oil).

Despite the entreaties of several people, Sir Mehta refused to blink. He said, I will not tolerate these companies dictating terms to us.

While the façade of various govt and commercial buildings in the Fort area in #Mumbai were lit up using electric lamps, these oil lamps were put up using bamboo scaffoldings on the BMC headquarters.

Yes, this looked slightly odd when compared to the lighting on the GIP raiilway building (present-day CSMT station) across the road, but the people supported Sir Mehta for the strength of his convictions.

Municipal workers were pressed into service to ensure that if a draft of wind extinguished the lamps, they were lit again using flaming torches. For three days, these oil lamps were used to light the BMC headquarters, but Mehta did not bow to the diktats of a private company.

Sir Mehta was considered to be part of the moderate faction in the Congress, but his actions showed that he could be tougher than most of his contemporaries. Prabodhankar Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, the social reformer & author has written about Mehta in glowing terms.