The epitaph of the Calcutta tram has been written many, many times. Detractors may as well give up. Calcutta, now Kolkata, is the only Indian city to have held on to this gracious, non-polluting mode of transport, although, over the years, the network has shrunk and the trams gone rickety.
It was in Switzerland that West Bengal transport minister Subhas Chakraborty apparently had his epiphany — he wanted Swiss trams for his beloved city. As importing the trams was prohibitively expensive, the Calcutta Tramways Corporation Limited did the next best thing — it simply developed them at home.
Featuring no technological improvements, and built at a cost of Rs 11.5 lakh each at Kolkata’s Nonapukur depot, these swanky new trams concentrate on improving passenger comfort. They’re slimmer and feature large glass windows. On the inside, the bucket seats with cushions, replacing the wooden seats, are gentler on the posterior. There are more fans, power backup and a single class of travel. Two trams have rolled out while two more are under construction (10 more have been sanctioned). The trams will travel at a leisurely 40km/hr. At a minimum fare of Rs 4, it’s a joyride and everyone’s invited.