Kolkata's Grand Old Trams back on streets as public transport services resume

The iconic trams of Kolkata have hit the streets once again. CTC or Calcutta Tramways Company has decided to resume the service on the busy Tollygunge—Ballygunge—Tollygunge route. The fee for the services has not been spiked and remains at a modest Rs 7.

"Social distancing is maintained in trams, as mostly the seats are maintained at a distance from its inception. Only sitting is allowed, no one can stand," said the motorman who is working with CTC since 1985. The motorman for the tram Republic TV boarded was also of the opinion that trams were safer a transportation service than buses.

READ | 400 More Buses Start Plying In Kolkata To Ease Commuters' Problem

READ | Kolkata Police Asks Citizens Of The City To Dial 100 If They Feel Depressed

Other routes of the service are to restart operations gradually. Before a journey, the tram is sanitised by personnel of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. While the conductor wears his usual Khaki coat, the driver has to wear a PPE suit.

"It's a way safer option. It's economical as well. I came from Bansdroni to Tollygunje spending Rs 80 but will reach Ballygunge in merely Rs 7. It is way safer than buses. People are literally fighting to board a bus, it's very convenient for a senior citizen," said a retired school teacher who considered trams to be a safer option.

Trams in Kolkata are the only tram system in India, and quite possibly the only one of its kind in Asia. Also termed as Asia's oldest, these tram routes run parallel to other vehicles on special tracks laid out along the side of the busy streets.

READ | Kolkata Man Arrested For Allegedly Throwing 2 Kids Off A Residential Building

READ | Cycle Sales Rise In Kolkata Amid Fear Of COVID-19 Transmission In Public Transport