In which Indian town was public electricity supply first introduced during the late nineteenth century?

Introduction / Context:
The spread of electricity in India marked a major step in modern infrastructure and industrialisation. Knowing where electricity supply first started helps students connect technological progress with regional development. This question asks about the first town in India to receive public electricity supply, a fact that often appears in geography and general knowledge examinations about Indian industries and infrastructure.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the first introduction of public electricity supply in India.
• Options include Kolkata, Mumbai, Darjeeling, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
• We assume the question refers to a recognised hydroelectric installation serving a town.
• Sidrapong hydroelectric station near Darjeeling is historically noted as an early installation.

Concept / Approach:
Although many large cities like Kolkata and Mumbai later became major centres of power consumption, the earliest regular electricity supply came from a hydroelectric plant established near Darjeeling. The Sidrapong hydel power station, commissioned in 1897, is widely recognised as the first hydroelectric power plant in India set up to supply electricity to a municipality. It provided power to the hill station of Darjeeling, making it the first town in India to receive such a service. Therefore, when presented with this list of cities, Darjeeling is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Sidrapong hydel power station near Darjeeling was commissioned in the late nineteenth century. Step 2: Understand that this plant supplied electricity to the Darjeeling municipality, making the town an early beneficiary of electric power. Step 3: Note that large metropolitan cities such as Kolkata and Mumbai expanded electricity use later as thermal power stations and distribution systems developed. Step 4: Recognise that Bengaluru is often remembered for early electric street lighting but this came after the Sidrapong installation. Step 5: From these facts, conclude that Darjeeling was the first town in India to receive public electricity supply.

Verification / Alternative check:
Students can verify this fact in standard geography or general knowledge books, which frequently mention Sidrapong power station near Darjeeling as the first hydroelectric plant in India. Many exam oriented guides explicitly state that Darjeeling was the first town to get electricity, distinguishing this from later developments in big cities. If more than one option looks historically important, the presence of Darjeeling alongside major cities is a strong hint that the question is referring to this specific early hydroelectric project.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Kolkata became a major commercial centre and later used large amounts of electricity, but it was not the first town to receive public power supply.
Mumbai, although highly industrialised, developed modern electricity systems after the pioneering hydroelectric plant at Darjeeling.
Chennai also saw growth in power infrastructure in the twentieth century, but historical records do not identify it as the first town with electricity supply.
Bengaluru is sometimes remembered for early electric street lighting and later information technology development, but in terms of first town to be supplied with electricity, Darjeeling has clear priority.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical error is to assume that the largest or most famous cities must have been the pioneer in every field. Students often select Mumbai or Kolkata because they associate them with early industrialisation. Another pitfall is to recall only the fact about electric street lights in Bengaluru and mistakenly assume that this implies first public supply. To avoid these mistakes, it helps to remember specific names such as Sidrapong and Darjeeling in connection with early hydroelectric power in India.

Final Answer:
Public electricity supply was first introduced in India in the hill town of Darjeeling.