Kolkata Trams Not Being Immediately Discontinued: Senior Transport Official

Kolkata: Days after reports about the Bengal government's announcement to discontinue Kolkata's historic trams faced widespread criticism, a senior transport official on Tuesday clarified that the immediate suspension of tram services is not planned, despite what has been reported by some media outlets.

Protests erupted in Kolkata after Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty stated last week that the government was considering ending the 151-year-old tram services on most city roads, except for a two-kilometer stretch from Maidan to Esplanade, due to traffic jams caused by the slow-moving vehicles.

However, the official emphasised that the matter is still under review by the Calcutta High Court, and the government will present its reasons for discontinuing the services during the hearing.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the transport official said the minister's comments at a press conference were informal, and no final policy decision has been made. "Tram services are continuing along three routes in Kolkata, and we have no plans for immediate withdrawal. However, only 27 trams are operating on 12 kilometers of track, down from 100 trams on 61 kilometers in 2011," he said.

The official explained that the reduction in tram numbers is due to a lack of spare parts for repairs. "Trams have become a white elephant, but we are not looking to withdraw them completely. We are considering rationalizing services based on the current situation," he added.

In 2011, around 70,000 people used trams daily, but today that number has dropped to 5,000-7,000. Due to this, the state stopped investing in trams in 2018, except for heritage vehicles used for tourism. "We have no intention to remove trams meant for heritage purposes," the official stated.

Trams were first introduced in Kolkata in 1873 as horse-drawn carriages. Over time, they were modernized with steam engines and later electric power in 1900. For decades, trams were a crucial part of the city’s transportation and a symbol of its heritage. They have appeared in Indian cinema since the 1950s and were once so central to life in Kolkata that a small fare hike in 1953 sparked protests.

The recent announcement has sparked similar responses from tram supporters in Kolkata, who view the government's plan to reduce tram services as an attempt to erase a key part of the city’s history. The Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA) held protests at Shyambazar and is planning more demonstrations at other tram depots.

"We will not allow this to happen. Trams are here to stay," said CTUA member Shounak Chatterjee during a protest at Shyambazar.

CTUA general secretary Mahadeb Shi argued that discontinuing trams would harm an environmentally friendly mode of transport with existing infrastructure that only needs modernization. He also dismissed the government’s claim that trams cause traffic jams, stating, "With only 10-20 trams among 10 lakh vehicles, how can they cause jams? Trams can go up to 40 kmph, faster than the average vehicle speed in the city."

CTUA president Debashis Bhattacharya emphasized that trams are as iconic to Kolkata as the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, Coffee House, and yellow taxis. He mentioned that CTUA has proposed several ideas, including a public-private partnership to revive trams, but so far, there has been little response from the state government.