Originally posted 2010-07-27 10:02:08.
Within five years of it’s invention, the “THE WONDER MACHINE OF SPEECH“, christened as telephone, made it’s debut in the city of Madras in 1881.
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In November 1881, licenses were granted by His Excellency The Governor General in Council to Messrs ORIENTAL TELEPHONE COMPANY for establishing telephone exchanges at MADRAS, BOMBAY, CALCUTTA and RANGOON with defined exchange boundaries.
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Under this agreement, the first Magneto telephone exchange with 17 connections was commissioned on 19-11-1881 at building number 37, Errabalu Chetty Street, Madras. Then Madras city was a compact metropolis with 27 square miles in extent and a population of 4 lakhs with only 8 municipal divisions. By the end of 1881, the telephone exchange was expanded to 40 lines with 24 subscribers.
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The then merchant community was not much inclined to have a telephone during those days in spite of various concessions offered by the company through many press advertisements. The direct exchange lines moved from 24 in 1882 to only 350 in 1910.
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Persistent personal canvasing blended with judicious press advertisements brought a gradual realisation of the utility of telephones amongst the public of Madras, in spite of many complaints of CROSS TALK AND DISLOCATION IN SERVICES.
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In 1922, the license granted to Messrs Oriental Telephone company came up for renewal. By that time, the thinking of the Government on telephone services underwent a metamorphosis in the phase of having nationalistic tide. Hence, on the eve of renewal, three main conditions were laid.
The business should pass into hands of local companyThe system should be modernized The rates can be raised to reach the second objective
Under the first objective a “RUPEE” company was formed on 24-1-1923 in the name of “MADRAS TELEPHONE COMPANY LIMITED” with an authorized capital of Rs.5 lakhs divided into 50000 equal shares of Rs.10 each. Mr. G.W. Bromhead was the Managing Director of Madras Telephones company.
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Since then, the direct exchange lines rose to 1224 lines. The telephone exchange was manned by one managing director, one assistant manager and one assistant engineer. Only flat rate rental was collected from the subscribers. Apart from 1224 subscribers, public call offices were also opened at 5 places namely
- Central Station
- Egmore Station
- Madras Harbour
- Salt Cotaurs
Telephone Exchange
Due to the flat rate system there was not much use for public call offices. Subsequently measured rate tariff was introduced as adopted in London. Though there were protests at the initial stage, from the business community, finally the company convinced the subscribers to accept the measured rate system.
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The Rise Of Telephone House:
The space at Errabalu Chetty street exchange became so much cramped for further extension of the exchange capacity. Proposals were also made to automise the manual exchange as in the pattern of the London telephone system. With a view to achieve these twin objectives, a piece of land measuring 21000 square feet was alloted by the Government at China Bazaar in 1925. In the same year, the building was designed and expeditiously constructed. A new building was acclaimed to be handsome, christened as ” TELEPHONE HOUSE” and occupied in December 1925. The ground floor of the building was earmarked for an automatic exchange, the first floor for the office and the second floor for the quarters of the resident engineer.
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A Stronger Automatic Telephone Exchange of 10000 lines ultimate capacity was cut over on second April 1926(Good Friday) at 7.00 A.M. with the numbering scheme for the subscribers from 2000.
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Going Under Ground:
In spite of automation of the exchange, frequent interruptions of subscribers lines were caused due to the snapping of overheaded lines by vegetation, frequent temple car festivals and heavy wind /gales. To overcome this problem, Madras telephones started in terms of providing underground cable network for subscribers’ connections. Laying of under ground cables were started during 1927-28 and cables were laid upto Guindy. Areas like Perambur, Royapuram and Harbour were covered by under ground cables by 1932.
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The dawn of automatic exchange along with the under ground cable network laid the road for telephone development for a victorious march.
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The number of DIRECT EXCHANGE LINES which was 1310 in 1925 rose to 1832 in 1930. The Madras Telephone Company also purchased a bungalow for having the managing director at 4,Victoria Crescent at a cost of Rs.55000.
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The Advent Of Telephone Directory:
Prior to 1932, the Telephone Directory was slender and with a mere paper cover. During 1932, due to more entries in telephone directory, a face-lift was given to the directory by providing a stiff broad cover. Sufficient advertisements were canvassed to entirely cover the cost of directory publication. The October 1934 directory came up with multi colour wrappers. Directory was released once in 6 Months (April & October).
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1932- THE JUBILEE YEAR:
In 1932, the telephones in Madras city had completed 50 years. It started with 24 connections in 1882 and rose to 1753 DIRECT EXCHANGE LINES , 997 extensions and 74 private lines during 1932.
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During the jubilee year, apart from the higher share profits, a special jubilee bonus dividend was announced.
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Opening Of Exchanges At Various Load Centers:
Due to the automation of telephone services and its use for business promotion, the demand for telephone connections spread over the South Madras area. In 1929, a satellite automatic exchange of 200 lines capacity was commissioned at Mount road. With the increase in the demand for phone connection, 100 lines were added at Mount Road exchange in 1932. The exchange was further expanded in 1933.
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Perceiving a galloping growth in future, the Madras Telephone Company conceived a “New Mount Road Exchange”, as far back as October 1940.
Though in 1941, the Government telephone board was controlled and the takeover of the telephone companies in India was imminent, the company evinced greater interest in the speedy consummation of the project. In spite of the tireless effort of the company , the “New Mount Road Exchange” with 1500 lines was commissioned only in 1947.
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Opening Of Mambalam Exchange:
Due to the increase in the demand for more telephones in South Madras area, the company decided to open one satellite exchange in the Mambalam area. The company purchased a plot at Mambalam during November 1935. A Satellite exchange of 500 lines capacity was commissioned during 1937.
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Opening Of St. Thomas Mount Exchange:
With the outbreak of the second world war, military concentration in and around St. Thomas Mount Exchange area became greater. The company felt the urgent need for opening a satellite exchange at St. Thomas Mount. In 1944, a 100 lines satellite exchange was commissioned at St. Thomas Mount.
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The Gathering Cloud:
With the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939, Second World War exploded. Communications being the essential component of the war machine, all the plants manufacturing telephone equipment in England were brought under the direct control of the military and all telephone equipment were ready to be transported to the nearest war fronts. For the Madras Telephones Company, war was no longer meant deadly clash of men and machines. It began to mean a total stoppage of essential telephone equipment supply from London. All development activities of Madras telephones came to a grinding halt.
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On the other side, Madras telephones was asked to provide an air raid precaution scheme for the city of Madras and an excellent scheme was devised. The government readily accepted the scheme without any modification. The scheme was very successful during the entire span of war.
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On the night of December 12, 1943, by about 2.00 A.M , the silence of the sleeping city was pierced by the screams of sirens.
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A lone Japanese bomber sneeked through and was hovering over the city and dropped a bomb at the Harbour area and flew past, through the maze of crossfire unleashed by the anti aircraft guns, forming part of the city’s coastal batteries.
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Fortunately, there were no casualities. Madras Telephones derived a high sense of satisfaction in the realization that it played its part well in leading to safety, the sleeping city of Madras in a real air raid.
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The Emergence Of Government Telephone Board
The war conditions highlighted to the government, the anachronism of a vital service like telephones remaining in private hands. It desired to take over the system and to achieve this objective, a conference was held in New Delhi as early as 1941. As an outcome of this conference, a company under the name of “GOVERNMENT TELEPHONE BOARD’ was formed with the Director.
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General Posts and Telegraphs as its Managing Director. The Government Telephone Board expeditiously finalized the valuation of the assets and liabilities of Madras Telephone Company as on Ist February 1941 and was valued as Rs 46,50,000.
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The board of directors of Madras Telephones company met for last time on 26 th. March 1943 at Telephone House. A letter of indemnity from the Government of India in favour of the directors absolving them from liabilities from any future claims arising out of their past transactions relating to Madras telephone company as insisted by the board, was complied with by the government.
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After signing various legal documents, the board of directors dispersed and descended the baroque timbered staircase of the telephone house, many with moistened eyes carrying with them the pleasant memories of their association with the Madras Telephone Company.
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THUS THE CURTAIN FELL ON THE COMPANIES’ ADMINISTRATION OF THE CHENNAI TELEPHONES.
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Source : Chennai Telephones website
chennai.bsnl.co .in/aboutus/history.html
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