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Who was the first Municipal Commissioner of Bombay, appointed in 1865, after whom the famous Crawford Market was named?
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Answer: Option A — Arthur Crawford
Detailed Solution
Arthur Travers Crawford, an officer of the Indian Civil Service, was appointed the first Municipal Commissioner of Bombay in 1865; the famous Crawford Market in Mumbai was named after him.
Background:
- In 1865, the Bombay Municipal Act created a new municipal body for the city of Bombay, with a Municipal Commissioner as its chief executive.
- Arthur Crawford was appointed to this post.
His work as Municipal Commissioner:
- He carried out many improvements in the sanitation, roads and markets of Bombay.
- He removed slaughterhouses and unhealthy markets from the centre of the city.
- He planned the building of a large public market in the city.
- He improved the water supply and drainage.
- He was known for his energy, but was also criticised for spending large sums of money, which led to large debts for the municipality.
Crawford Market:
- The market was built between 1865 and 1869, and was completed in 1869.
- It was designed by the British architect William Emerson, in a blend of Norman and Flemish styles.
- Its entrance has stone friezes (bas-reliefs) designed by John Lockwood Kipling, the father of the writer Rudyard Kipling.
- It sells fruits, vegetables, poultry and other goods.
- It has been renamed Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai, after the social reformer, but is still popularly called Crawford Market.
Later career:
- Crawford later became a Collector and Commissioner in the Bombay Presidency.
- In 1889, he was found guilty of taking bribes and was dismissed from the service.
The Bombay Municipal Corporation:
- The Bombay Municipal Corporation was later reorganised by the Bombay Municipal Act of 1872, which gave a greater role to elected members.
- Today, it is called the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of the richest municipal corporations in India.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bartle Frere and Mountstuart Elphinstone were Governors of Bombay; Walter Scott was not a municipal commissioner.
Quick tip
Remember: first Municipal Commissioner of Bombay (1865) = Arthur Crawford; Crawford Market (now Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai), with friezes by Lockwood Kipling.
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Miscellaneous GK — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Miscellaneous GK, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic collects general knowledge questions that do not fit neatly into a single category, such as national symbols, famous nicknames of places, important events, entertainment, and facts that cut across history, geography and culture. Because these questions come from many areas, the best preparation is broad revision and regular practice. Read each explanation carefully, since it often includes a related fact that is tested in a different form. Keep a notebook of facts you get wrong and revise it before the exam. Practise the miscellaneous GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.