Transport dept looking to replace old trams with new single-bogie ones

Kolkata: The state Transport department is mulling to gradually replace the existing fleet of double-bogie trams, with a customised single-bogie counterpart.

"Single-bogie trams are famous and the most preferred among the passengers. We are planning to convert all the double-bogie trams into customised single-bogie ones," said state Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The initiative is aimed at both reducing the operating cost and running the tram services efficiently by increasing the speed. Adhikari had flagged off two fully air-conditioned single-coach trams and six non air-conditioned single-coach trams with a seating capacity of 32 people, from the Esplanade Tram Control in September 2019.

"Tram is our heritage. We want to preserve our heritage," the minister pointed out. It might be mentioned that the single-bogie AC tram was introduced in 2013. The two AC trams, christened as 'Charuibhati' and 'Rupasi Bangla', were used exclusively for heritage tours in Central and North Kolkata. They had a capacity of seating 24 people and were equipped with television and FM radio. West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) had thereafter introduced a fine-dining service in an AC tram travelling from Esplanade to Kidderpore.

According to sources, around 45 trams are being run by the Transport department on various routes in the city. The Belgachia-Esplanade route and Belgachia-Howrah routes are among the busiest trams routes in Kolkata.

"The government should revive the different tram routes which were closed, as soon as possible. The tram services from Belgachia, the third oldest route, were withdrawn in January last year," said Debasish Bhattacharya, president of Calcutta Tram Users Association.

According to sources, there are only seven routes on which the trams are plying at present. In 2015, 127 trams used to run on 56 routes.