Did you know that at the very beginning, trams in Kolkata were run by horses?
Kolkata has always been known for its tramways. Ever since its short-lived initial inception in 1873, to its actual conceptualisation in 1882 when Viceroy Lord Ripon inaugurated the first route, this sturdy build electrically driven carriage has gone through wears and tears with the ravages of time, carving out our golden phases of history.
Kolkata has always been revered for trams, immortalised in innumerable movies. This relic from the past however, is getting marginalised with an increase in swanky cars, motorbikes and AC buses that have become a near-necessity for its several thousand residents.?
From those ancient bells strung on ropes being pulled by the conductor to their leather side bags, folded notes and big tickets, everything about trams in Kolkata spells nostalgia.
Trams were first introduced in 1873 on February 24, but within eight months of their service, they stopped plying. It was in 1880 that trams once again were seen on the streets of Kolkata. It restarted with meter gauge trams in the route Sealdah ¨C Bowbazar ¨C Dalhousie - Armenian Ghatand and were drawn by horses. On December 20, 1880, Calcutta Tramways Company was formed and registered in London.
In 1882, steam engine trams were introduced and running till 1900, before electricity powered trams were introduced taking power from a power station at Nonapukur. By 1943, the total track length spreading over Kolkata and Howrah was 68 kilometers. By 1960, Calcutta Tramways had a fleet of 450 tram cars. Gradually, trams started spreading, and by 1969 they had a total track length of 70.74 kilometers, excluding depot and terminal.
It was in 1982, with the World Bank Loan that 80 tram cars were inducted. In the same year, steel body trams were also introduced. In 2008, new look polycarbonate sheet fixed trams were introduced. Most recently, air-conditioned trams were introduced in Kolkata in 2013 for the convenience of daily commuters.
There is something wonderful about the way a tram crawls past the maddening crowd with gentle ease. A mammoth from the past, it lets a person soak in the beauty of the city while gently rattling its way down the streets of Kolkata.
Let¡¯s face it, trams are pollution-free and an eco-friendly mode of transportation. Moreover, it has a higher person capacity as well, apart from being cheap. So why is it becoming a nuisance rather than a revered mode of transportation?
Umang Sharma
The city of joy, Kolkata, has its own heritage which has given the city an opportunity to mark its position on the global map. In fact, horse run chariots started during the British era (pre 1947) when Kolkata was the capital, and trams make every Kolkatan, residing in any part of the world, nostalgic.
When the tram made its maiden journey from Sealdah to Armenian ghat, it left everyone spellbound. In the course of time, trams have gone through vast modernisation.
Former chairman of Calcutta Tramways Company, Shantilal Jain, is a known name who has worked to keep this heritage intact. It was during his stint from 2011 to 2013 as chairman, that the air condition trams and twelve single bogie trams were introduced. He worked towards reducing the operating cost and running the tram services efficiently by increasing the speed.
Umang Sharma
Jain said that the Calcutta Tramways had also initiated discussions with the State Tourism Development Corporation to operate air-conditioned single-bogie trams. He added, ¡°CTC also started renting trams for wedding ceremonies, birthday parties for which Rs. 15,000 was charged for three hours as rental.¡±
Jain said he stepped down as the chairman of CTC after the government started selling off tram depots. He said, ¡°I have gone extra mile and was constantly in touch with central government as well as investors to help keep the heritage alive. It was during my tenure that trams plied on the streets of Kolkata during Durga Puja and earned a large chunk of revenue.¡±
Jain said he asked the government to make tram tracks close to the river Ganga which would enhance the scenic beauty of the area, but the request fell on deaf ears.
Talking about the days without trams, Shantilal Jain said, ¡°I will consider myself to be a loser if trams fade out from Kolkata. I have worked for saving the heritage and would be shattered if the government fails to keep the heritage intact.¡±
Trams have become a daily mode of transportation for a few of the population of Kolkata. Even some of the ¡®Y-generation¡¯ love to take a tram ride as they feel that it is convenient and safe. Over the years, trams have got some loyal travelers who strictly travel in trams. In fact, North Kolkata has got more tram tracks than its southern counterpart. Trams also connect a few major places of the city in central Kolkata.
"I prefer taking the tram from my home in Kankurgachi to my workplace in north Kolkata. It is the most convenient mode of transport. If trams are phased out, I will have to either take buses or autos which are crowded and expensive," says Prakash Joshi, a trader from Burrabazar.
Umang Sharma
The official said trams are not plying on major routes due to civic works and also due to police resistance. He further went on to add that these eco-friendly vehicles are less in number and hence are no longer a preferred mode. Initially trams were available on an average span of every 5 minutes, but these days one has to wait for around half an hour to 45 minutes for trams.
The official added that the government along with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation should take steps to retain and promote the heritage which is on the verge of extinction. He further added that depots were being given trams on lease to earn revenue. Most of the tram routes have also shut because of few or no passengers traveling on them.
The official, who asked not to be quoted, said trams are also getting money from day-long rent that are given for birthday parties and marriage parties. Apart from reopening the closed routes, trams should also be made available on new routes, the official added.
Umang Sharma
Trams have been phased out completely on some routes. For other routes, frequency has been reduced, forcing people to get accustomed to other public transport. ?Sunita Ray, who claims she has ridden trams all her life, says, ¡°I cannot dream of Kolkata without trams. What can be more exciting watching the roads clear as it passes by. Not only this, the sight inside trams is also picturesque. One can see sleepy faces across the benches and the carefully folded bundles of five-rupee notes tucked between the fingers of the conductor.¡±
Another passenger sitting next to her promptly adds that travelling by tram is nothing short of amazing. He says, ¡°One can listen to people talking about movies, politics, office gossips, football matches, cricket. People haggling with the tram conductor for change, the bell that is used to stop the tram - all makes for a wonderful experience.¡±
Trams are being showcased in many regional as well as national commercials and movies. People feel that city roads without trams will be a pond without beautiful fish. More importantly, people employed in making trams run are also scared about their future.?
Talking to a quinquagenarian tram driver dressed in a ¡®khakhi¡¯ uniform, Raju, who travels daily from Madhyamgram to drive the tram on the Sealdah ¨C Bidhannagar stretch was excited when we went up to talk to him. Raju, who is driving trams since the age of 20, says, ¡°There are no specific tram stops and people seldom board trams these days according to them. People who drive other vehicles, often abuse us because tram speed is slow. In this fast paced world there is no place for anything slow, no matter how safe trams are. They never want to enjoy the simpler things in life.¡±
Like Raju many other tram drivers and conductors feel that the tram is the lifeline of Kolkata and the city will lose a major slice of its heritage if trams are cleared out from city roads. The government has made the tram museum which indirectly indicates that the day is not far when the city will see no trams.
But some of the youth are also trying ways and means to retain the tram, by making restaurants on stationary trams or selling antiques by converting the interiors of tram.
Saying goodbye to tramcars might not be that easy for most Kolkatans and it¡¯s the joint effort of the people, administration, corporation and the state government that can save heritage from becoming history.