Shyambazar-Esplanade route: Tram services all set to resume next week

Kolkata: West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) is all set to start Tram services in the Shyambazar - Esplanade route in the next week.

This is the fifth route on which the tram service will resume after the same had started on Tollygunge - Ballygunge route, Rajabazar - Howrah Bridge route, Gariahat - Esplanade route and Howrah - Shyambazar route.

Lots of tracks were damaged by trees and the overhead wire system got badly damaged due to cyclone Amphan that hit Bengal on May 20. The tram services were suspended for 81 days due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, tram services on the Tollygunge- Ballygunge route were thrown open to the public on June 14 and then in other routes.

According to WBTC engineers, some minor work is lying pending that may take another five to six days under normal circumstances in the Shymbazar- Esplanade tram route. Track repairing work is also going in the Kidderpore-Esplanade route.

"There are six tram routes. At present, trams are running on four routes. If the repair work goes as per plan, tram services in the Shyambazar - Esplanade route will begin next week," said an official.

At present, tram services are available in four routes from 7 am to 8 pm. Trams are operating at an interval of 25 minutes.