NEW DELHI — For more than a century, trams have rumbled past Kolkata’s crumbling colonial facades, with their chiming bells contributing to the city’s soundtrack as they ferried generations of commuters.
Now, Asia’s oldest tram network is on the brink of disappearing as authorities consider pulling the plug on a mode of transport that has become more nostalgia than necessity.
The West Bengal government plans to shut down the 152-year-old system, keeping only a short heritage route. The decision has sparked a court battle as residents and heritage advocates fight to keep the trams rolling.
“As children, we would take the trams for fun, but as I grew older it became a necessity,” said Abha Maity, 44, recalling rides to school and college. “I can’t imagine Kolkata without them.”
Once a highlight of the city’s streets, the wobbly trams now struggle for space amid traffic jams — competing with buses and yellow taxis — as Kolkata builds modern infrastructure and seeks faster transport.
Kolkata introduced horse-drawn trams in 1873 and electrified them in 1902. At its peak, the network boasted more than 340 trams and covered the entire city. Today, only two routes remain, with a fleet of about 10.
“When I joined, more than 340 trams were running. Now it’s down to seven or eight,” said Bacchu Sidda, a conductor for 36 years who still checks his duty roster pinned on a board at the last functioning depot in Gariahat.
The government began selling depots and scrapping cars years ago, prompting a citizens’ group called Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA) to take the fight to court. CTUA has campaigned since 2016 to save what remains of the system.
“I love my trams more than myself,” said Deep Das, 19, a journalism student and CTUA member. “If they disappear, it will be like a part of my body has left me.”
Despite resistance, authorities are pouring billions into upgrading Kolkata’s infrastructure, focusing on metro expansion, wider roads and new highways to ease congestion.
For now, the fate of Kolkata’s ageing trams awaits a court review, as they continue carrying some passengers who view them as living memories of the city’s past.
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