They started trundling through the streets in 1873, criss-crossing at busy traffic signals, first populated by carriages, and now by sedans and electric vehicles.
They framed the growth of a metropolis, from Calcutta to Kolkata, from corner shop addas to glass edifice malls, a constant reminder of what once was, but still very much a part of the city's present. Slow and measured, dwindling and dilapidated, increasingly out of place, but a running, functioning part of the city's public transport apparatus.
Until now.
In 2024, Kolkata's iconic trams may find themselves phased out of public consciousness, relegated to a "heritage joyride" in one corner of the city.
And, though activists are determined to stave off this change and approach the courts, the government's mind appears to be made up.
In early 2023, the Kolkata traffic police prepared a report, sent to the state transport secretary in May, which said that though the tram is "cheap, environment friendly, and has heritage value, it is no longer a viable (transition port) option for an overcrowded city like Kolkata".
This report is now part of record in two separate public interest litigations in the Calcutta high court, filed in 2021 and 2022, and now being heard concurrently, that sought that the tram system be resuscitated.
In August 2023, the bench hearing the matter, headed by chief justice TS Sivagnanam, constituted a committee, headed by the chairman of the West Bengal Transport Corporation, to look at ways that trams could be modernised, with the next hearing scheduled on January 8.
But the West Bengal government seems to have made up its mind; trams in Kolkata have now run their course, and need to be confined to one "heritage route"; a relic of the past. "We have already told the court that the tram will operate only on one track as heritage. We are not withdrawing them," said Snehasis Chakraborty, West Bengal transport minister.
ãã®èšäºã¯ Hindustan Times ã® January 06, 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ Hindustan Times ã® January 06, 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
Palestinian PM Resigns Citing 'New Reality' Of War In Gaza
The United States and other powers have called for a reformed Palestinian Authority to take charge of all Palestinian territories after the end of war
Future Perfect: The Kids Are All Right
Gill and Jurel hold out promise by simplifying a challenging chase to help India seal series
Akshay feels 'blessed' to have worked with OG Ramayan cast
Director Akshay K Agarwal shot a music video, Humare Ram Aaye Hai, with the cast of the 1987 TV show, Ramayanactors Arun Govil, Dipika Chikhlia and Sunil Lahri - in Ayodhya recently.
Musk's firm gets nod for Sat Net; joins Jio, Bharti
Starlink, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has been allowed to offer satellite broadband services in India, two officials aware of the development said.
A temple, 169 years in the making
Through decades of design and reworks, hurdles in engineering and construction, HT pieces together how the grandeur of the Ram Temple was reclaimed
'Political interference' forces Vihari to quit Andhra cricket
After Andhra bowed out of the Ranji Trophy at the quarter-final stage with a four-run defeat to Madhya Pradesh in Indore on Monday, senior batter Hanuma Vihari launched a scathing attack on the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), saying he will never turn up for the state again.
Shafali, Kapp lead Capitals to a 9-wicket win over Warriorz
A blazing fifty by Shafali Verma (64â¹, 43 balls) helped Delhi Capitals make a mockery of a target of 120 and open their account in the second edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL).
Making 'unbelievable things believable', the Ayhika way
The India No. 7 was an inspired pick for the world team event and she repaid the faith, beating the Chinese world No.1
'Connected TVs to reach 45 mn by 2024-end in India'
With improvement in broadband penetration, Indian households are increasingly opting for connected or addressable TVs.
India chip strategy makes progress as $21 billion in proposals received
The Indian government, after years of watching from the sidelines of the chips race, now has to evaluate $21 billion of semiconductor proposals and divvy up taxpayer support between foreign chipmakers, local champions or some combination of the two.