Iconic trams to become heritage: Minister

Kolkata: The state Transport Minister, Snehasish Chakraborty, announced on Monday that the state government plans to operate Kolkata’s trams solely as a heritage feature, limited to a single route.

Currently, around 17 trams run on three routes: Tollygunge-Ballygunge, Gariahat-Esplanade, and Shyambazar-Esplanade. However, the Tollygunge-Ballygunge route is temporarily suspended due to some ongoing works.

Minister Chakraborty explained that the decision is driven by the impracticality of running trams in today’s traffic conditions. Kolkata has only 6 percent road space, significantly less than cities like Delhi and Mumbai. With the increasing number of vehicles, trams, which run in the middle of busy roads, cause traffic jams and accidents. “Trams were suitable 150 years ago, but with the current traffic and road conditions, it’s not feasible to continue their operation,” said Chakraborty. He emphasised that while trams will be preserved for their heritage value, they cannot compromise the smooth flow of traffic. If this plan is implemented, the trams will operate between Esplanade and Maidan, on a 3.5-kilometer stretch.

There is an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court regarding the future of trams, and the state government will submit its thoughts in the next hearing.

Trams have been a part of Kolkata’s landscape since 1873 and were electrified in 1900. Despite their historical significance, the minister stressed that emotions cannot overcome practicalities.