Kolkata (Metro Rail News): The West Bengal government has taken a major step by suspending the 150-year-old tram services in Kolkata on all routes except for one route from Esplanade to Maidan.
Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty mentioned that commuters’ demand for faster modes of transport has been increasing lately. Furthermore, he stated that trams often cause congestion on roads due to their slow speed.
Udit Ranjan Gupta of the Calcutta Tram Users’ Association (CUTA) expressed his grief by stating that trams have played a major role in Kolkata’s heritage and the suspension of their services would be a major setback. He mentioned “The trams will tell the story of a mode of primary transport that is the oldest companion of our city to have survived,”
About Kolkata Trams:
The British government introduced the Trams in Kolkata on 24 February 1873. Later the trams operated in many more cities like Patna, Chennai, Nasik, and Mumbai but were phased out.
Kolkata’s trams lasted 150 years. In 1882, steam engines were introduced, which resulted in the evolution of trams in Kolkata. In 1900, the first electricity-powered tram became operational. Furthermore, AC Trams were introduced in 2013.
