Posted on by Nikhil Satish Pawar

End Of the Tram era, 150 years old legacy to end in Kolkata

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Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty explained that the combination of Kolkata’s narrow streets and increasing traffic volume complicates the operation of trams on shared routes, leading to significant congestion.

Additionally, the minister noted that a petition concerning tram operations is currently pending in the Calcutta High Court, and the government plans to address this matter in the upcoming hearing.

While this marks the end of an era, passengers can still enjoy the nostalgic experience of riding on the classic wooden benches and feeling the gentle motion of the tram as it travels along its route.

The tram service has played a crucial role in the unique character of the city.

“To ensure that people don’t get late to office during peak hours due to traffic jams, we have to take certain difficult measures, including the withdrawal of trams,” said the minister.

In 2011, Kolkata featured an impressive 37 tram routes; however, this figure has significantly decreased to only two as of 2022, largely due to the impacts of the pandemic. At that time, around 7,000 individuals were employed to oversee the tram operations, a number that has regrettably diminished to zero today.

“We are not discontinuing tramways from today or tomorrow, we are aware of people’s emotions. Moreover, the matter is also pending with the Calcutta High Court. We will abide by what the court directs or orders,” added the minister.

The city once had a comprehensive tram network spanning 61 kilometers in 2011, but this has now contracted to a mere 12 kilometers by 2022.

The reduction in tram passengers has been quite pronounced in recent years. Additionally, government financial support was notably limited by 2018.



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