Howrah Bridge-Shyambazar tram route to open soon
Kolkata: There is good news for city dwellers ahead of Durga Puja as the tram service on Howrah Bridge-Shyambazar route is all set to resume.
It will easily help people to reach Shyambazar — one of the favourite shopping destinations of north Kolkata.
Despite relaxations amid Covid, the tram service on this route could not be started as Super Cyclone Amphan had heavily damaged the infrastructure, including overhead cables.
With relentless efforts of officials and engineers of the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC), tram services on three routes — Tollygunge to Ballygunge, Rajabazar to Howrah Bridge and Gariahat to Esplanade — could be started earlier in the month of June and July respectively following all the set protocols. Tram services were suspended since March due to the nationwide lockdown.
Now, the fourth route — Howrah Bridge to Shyambazar — is going to resume soon. The trial run on this route will take place on Saturday, said a senior official adding that the service will begin soon if the trial run goes smooth. No passenger without a mask will be allowed to board and they have to maintain the norms of physical distancing. Proper and regular disinfection and sanitisation of the tram cars before and after each shift is being carried out. As a precautionary measure, sanitisation of depots is also being undertaken regularly.
Before the lockdown, trams used to operate on six different routes. At present, they will be operational on three routes only from 7 am to 8 pm and at an interval of 25 minutes.
The WBTC has also taken a unique move to keep the trams clean by making commuters aware of its heritage. Artworks depicting its opulent legacy have been put up in each compartment, carrying a message in all three languages — Bengali, Hindi and English — requesting people to keep the trams clean.
The idea is to make the youth aware of Kolkata's heritage and history of trams that have been part of the City of Joy since 1902 when electric trams started operating.
