when was the first mall built in india
Spencer Plaza Spencer Plaza was built in 1863â€“1864, established by Charles Durant and J. W. Spencer in Anna Salai, then known as Mount Road, in the Madras Presidency. The property originally belonged to Spencer & Co Ltd. Spencer & Co opened the first Departmental store in the Indian subcontinent in 1895 and the store had over 80 individual departments. After a few years, Eugene Oakshott, owner of Spencer's, shifted the department store to a new building, which was an example of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. The building was designed by W. N. Pogson. In 1983, the original building was destroyed in a fire. The present Spencer Plaza was constructed on the same site measuring about 10 acres and was opened in 1991.[1] Spread across a million square feet built in three phases with parking space for 800 cars, the plaza is one of the major hangout for the people of Chennai. The mall was developed by Mangal Tirth Estate Limited in January 1993.[5]
Rail transport in India The first proposals for railways in India were made in Madras in 1832.[9] The first train in India ran from Red Hills to Chintadripet bridge in Madras in 1837. It was called Red Hill Railway. It was hauled by a rotary steam engine locomotive manufactured by William Avery. It was built by Sir Arthur Cotton. It was mainly used for transporting granite stones for road building work in Madras.[9] In 1845, a railway was built at Dowleswaram in Rajahmundry. It was called Godavari Dam Construction Railway. It was also built by Arthur Cotton. It was used to supply stones for construction of a dam over Godavari.[9] On May 8, 1845, Madras Railway was incorporated. In the same year East India Railway company was incorporated. On August 1, 1849, Great Indian Peninsular Railway was incorporated by an Act of Parliament. "Guarantee System" providing free land and guaranteed rates of return (5%) to the private English companies willing to work on building railways was finalized on August 17, 1849. In 1851, a railway was built in Roorkee. It was called Solani Aqueduct Railway. It was hauled by steam locomotive called Thomason, named after a British officer. It was used for transporting construction materials for building of aqueduct over Solani river.[9] In 1852, the Madras Guaranteed Railway Company was incorporated.