Struggle for survival: Kolkata's symbol trams to ferry goods

KOLKATA: Trams - a quintessential image of the city's heritage beauty associated with the Raj era may fall from its position of grace and gravity that is associated with the Raj era. The non-polluting mode of transport will soon be seen ferrying goods. find itself in a degenerate form, goods carriage.
Shocked? This will soon become a reality in the lives of the people in Kolkata to see stacks of vegetables, spices, clothes and fish being carried in trams to reach the supply to local markets.
The image of the good old tram trundling along rickety roads and a rain drenched Maidan may vanish forever under the horrific image of a tram full of the stench and stink of fish and vegetables.
Unable to find a suitable plan to resuscitate trams that have been as a this non-polluting mode of transport running for over a century, the Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) will use the second-class compartments of some trams as goods carriage to ferry goods from wholesale to retail markets in different parts of the city. This will make it cheaper for traders and also bring revenue to CTC, said an official. The matter was recently discussed at a meeting in the chamber of transport minister Madan Mitra.
According to a senior official, a few trams will be run early in the mornings and late into the nights for carrying goods from wholesale to retail markets on some of the existing CTC routes of CTC. The state plans to will begin with Burrabazar and Koley Markets that are already connected by trams. Which have tram routes adjoining these areas.
In the next phase, the same will apply for Gariahat market, where CTC authorities are trying to revive the route going from Ballygunge via Gariahat and beyond.
Trams in Kolkata have been running for well over a century since 1902 and is the oldest operating electric tram in Asia. However, it has been bogged down by severe losses. The cumulative loss of all five transport corporations, including the CTC, is a whopping Rs 600 crore. And now, there are such desperate attempts to keep trams going and reduce the losses somehow.
The Centre recently expressed its eagerness to offer support for the turnaround of trams in Kolkata. However, the CTC has been asked to take measures to earn revenue and narrow the gap between earnings and expenditure. It is also for this reason that the CTC has been devising such plans to increase its earningsthrough several plans. While the government has approved of some of them, others have not yet been given the nod.
It is also trying to set up a food court at the Esplanade tram depot where an abandoned tram now stands. The plan is to make best use of will make the old world charm of trams to good use, where food and water will be available. The CTC even also wants to extend some tram routes up to Salt Lake and Rajarhat, where they may be used only for joy rides. The state government is now examining the viability of the project.
According to transport minister Madan Mitra, "We want the tracks to be extended till Rajarhat and Salt Lake. At present, experts are reviewing if the project can be made possible," said Mitra. and right now, a study is on to examine this."