Electricity reached Mussoorie first in North India
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When people in metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata used to light houses by lighting chimneys, dhibri, lanterns and torches, then the queen of the mountains started lighting the bulbs in many areas of Mussoorie and Dehradun. This was possible due to the existence of the first hydroelectric project in North India and the second hydroelectric project in the country at Glogi near Mussoorie. The project was completed in the year 1907 and then the Mussoorie lighted up. With this power plant, the Barlowganj of Queen Mussoorie and the Anarwala area of Doonghati are still illuminated. In fact, the four power houses that the British envisaged in the country during the British period included Mysore, Darjeeling and Chamba (Himachal Pradesh), as well as the Glogi project.
Power house was prepared under Colonel Bell's supervision
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Dinesh Kukreti
Work on the Glogi hydroelectric project started in the year 1890 on the land donated by the villagers of Kyarkuli and Bhatta villages. The place is three km from Bhatta village on the Mussoorie-Dehradun route. The project started power generation in the year 1907. More than 600 people worked on the project under the supervision of Colonel Bell, the then Electrical Engineer of Mussoorie Municipality. The cost of the project was then fixed at around six lakh rupees. In this, the then North-West Provision Awadh and Agra Government provided a loan of Rs 4.67 lakh to the Mussoorie Municipality. Whereas, the amount of 1.33 lakhs was to be provided by the municipality at its own level. However, later the total cost of the project reached Rs 7.50 lakh.
Bullock carts
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The project was prepared by the then engineer P. Billing Hart of the Municipality of Mussoorie. The power generating turbine for the project was purchased from London. Then there was no road to Mussoorie, so the laborers had to work hard to deliver machines to Glogi. Firstly, it was decided to construct a kutcha road from Garhi Dakra to transport the big generators and plants to the project site through bullock carts. However, after a detailed survey, keeping in view the excess money and waste of time, the machines were transported to Glogi by the present Dehradun-Mussoorie motorway. Then it used to be the bullock cart route.
Work completed in 1907, inaugurated in 1909
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In the year 1907, the project was completed and 16 inches of pipe lines from small ponds built at Kyarkuli and Bhatta started generating electricity from two huge turbines built in England. However, it was duly launched on 25 May 1909.
People were scared to see the bulb for the first time
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Khushiya was celebrated by playing the national song of Britain on the day the first lightning bulb lit in the library in Mussoorie. However, people were afraid to see the bulb then what a problem it was. But, the then engineer grabbed the bulb with his hand and explained to the people that it did not pose any threat to them. After this, other places in Mussoorie were also lighted and then supplied to Dehradun.
Two more units established in 1933
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In the year 1933, two more units of 1000 kW were installed to increase the capacity of the power house to 3000 kW. Which are still illuminating the Barloganj and Jharipani area of Mussoorie. It has been operated by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited since the formation of the state.
Machines reached Mumbai and rail to Doon by water vessels
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For the first time in 1900, the rail reached Dehradun, played an important role in speeding up the Glogi hydroelectric project. Heavy machines and turbines that reached Mumbai via water vessels from England were transported to Dehradun by this rail. From here on bullock carts and workers' shoulders these machines were transported to the project site on the hill.
Mussoorie Municipality owner of Glogi power plant for 70 years
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On 9 November 1912, Glogi Power House achieved the distinction of being the second power house in the country. By the year 1920, lamps were removed from most of the bungalows, hotels and schools in Mussoorie and replaced by bright electric bulbs. Mussoorie Municipality was the owner of Glogi power station for the entire 70 years. Then the Mussoorie Municipality was considered the richest municipality in Uttar Pradesh with the income of electricity. In 1976, the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Council acquired all the power ventures of the municipality including the power house.
Expert of London-based electrical company appreciated
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How powerful the Glogie Power House must have been during that period, it can be estimated from the letter of Dr G. Marshall, a specialist in the largest power related company of London based England. He wrote this letter Okden on 19 December 1912, the then president of the Mussoorie municipality. In it, he said, 'Glogi is the first hydroelectric power house in India, which has the additional capacity to run ropeways, tromways and heavy machines of several hundred horsepower.'
Hurt pulled the blueprint for the project in 1898
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In the year 1898, a hundred-page book on the hydroelectric project of the then engineer P.Willing Hurt of Mussoorie Municipality was published. In it, he drew a detailed blueprint of the proposed project. This shows the rich technology of energy development in that period.
