Last week, officials in Kolkata announced their decision to phase out the city’s tram cars entirely, leaving only a small heritage loop operational. In response, a group of activists is campaigning to preserve trams as a significant mode of transportation rather than relegating them to nostalgic remnants. Sandip Roy reports.
In February 2023, Kolkata marked 150 years of its tramways with a celebration featuring music, cake, and a parade of vintage trams, including a century-old wooden car. The festivities also included Melbourne-based tram conductor Roberto D’Andrea, highlighting the unique connection between Melbourne and Kolkata, which both have some of the oldest tram networks in the world. While Melbourne’s trams date back to 1885, Kolkata’s began in 1873 with a horse-drawn carriage. However, that’s where the similarities end.
Despite attempts by the government to eliminate them, Melbourne’s tram system has been modernized, with some trams now running on solar power. In contrast, Kolkata’s tram network has been steadily declining over the decades—from 52 routes in the 1970s, down to 25 in 2015, and now only three remain. The tram cars, which have not been upgraded in years, rattle along with outdated signs inside such as “Beware of pickpockets” and “No change available for 100 or 50 rupees.”
The state government recently announced plans to remove the tram system entirely, except for a small loop as a heritage route. However, a dedicated group of activists is opposing this move.
“It’s a huge step backward, especially when cities globally are decarbonizing transport due to climate change,” says Mr. D’Andrea, who has fostered a long-standing Kolkata-Melbourne tram partnership. “More than 400 cities run tram systems. Cities like Sydney, Helsinki, and many across France that once dismantled their tramways are now rebuilding them at great expense. Hong Kong also operates trams efficiently on narrow streets.”
West Bengal Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty argued that Kolkata’s roads are insufficient for trams given the city’s increasing population and vehicular traffic. Kolkata’s road space is only 6%, compared to Mumbai’s 18% and Delhi’s 10%, he noted. Both Mumbai and Delhi had tram systems in the past, with Mumbai even having double-decker trams. Now, Kolkata remains the only Indian city holding onto its streetcars.
Trams have become a symbol of Kolkata, just as London’s red double-decker buses or San Francisco’s cable cars are iconic representations of their cities. The ding-ding sound of the first tram each day has long been part of Kolkata’s daily rhythm, appearing frequently in films by renowned directors like Satyajit Ray and Anjan Dutt.
The trams are interwoven with Kolkata’s history. Calcutta, as the city was once called, was the first Asian city to introduce electric trams in 1902. Even after independence, the Calcutta Tramways Company was run from London and listed on the London Stock Exchange until 1968. The tramways were not just a mode of transport—they stitched the city together. During the partition riots of 1947, tram workers patrolled the city to help restore calm. Many families, like that of retired tram driver Gopal Ram, have a long history with the tramways spanning generations.
In the mid-20th century, many cities, including those in India, removed trams during the boom of private automobiles. Now, cities around the world are reintroducing them as light rail systems. “We had it all along and are neglecting it instead of improving it,” laments transport consultant Suvendu Seth. He suggests designating certain roads for trams and pedestrians as an innovative solution.
Debashis Bhattacharyya, president of the Calcutta Tram Users Association, attributes the survival of trams to their connectivity with key locations like schools, hospitals, and cinemas. He argues that trams should be recognized as a UNESCO heritage and not dismissed as obsolete.
Activists have used cultural initiatives like the Tramjatra festival, led by filmmaker Mahadeb Shi, to raise awareness about the importance of trams. Tramjatra includes art, music, and themed events like Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s *Gitanjali*. The West Bengal Transport Corporation has also tried reviving interest with projects like a tram library and a museum, but these efforts have been short-lived.
When Kolkata received the “Green Mobility” award in Copenhagen in 2019, Mayor Firhad Hakim highlighted trams as crucial to making the city’s transportation all-electric by 2030. However, the government has since shifted its focus to other electric vehicles and expanding the metro system. Mr. Bhattacharyya believes that tram routes are being replaced by tuk-tuks, which provide more employment and political support for the government.
For now, the fate of the trams is uncertain, with the issue currently under consideration by the Calcutta High Court, which has formed a committee to explore how the tram services can be restored.
Retired tram worker Mr. Bose notes that despite multiple attempts, the government has not completely shut down the trams. “Perhaps even they sense what trams mean to the city,” he says. “Three things define Kolkata—the Howrah Bridge, the Victoria Memorial, and the trams. It would be heartbreaking to lose one of them.”
