Iconic tram services of Kolkata-a nostalgic and a sigh loved till date, the historians’ nostalgia of her glorious colonial past and an essential element of her transportation system for more than 150 years are all set to become a thing of the past. While a heritage stretch from Maidan to Esplanade has been decided to continue with its nostalgic rides, most tram system routes will be silent in no time. This marks the last rites of India’s oldest operational electric tram system which had become the identity of the city as it first started in 1873.
Across the world, trams are being said goodbye to, and several cities have witnessed this trend.
The discontinuation of tram services in Kolkata has seen various emotions by its people. Trams are more than a means of communication or mobility for most people. They function as a lifeline to the very roots of a city through rich history and culture. With the procession in rhythms that bespeak the bustle of the city, it was a journey where glimpses into urban life were allowed to be savoured slowly, coupled with the sounds of Kolkata. Its loss has left many nostalgic and concerned with the erasure of an important character of the city.
Nowadays, an understandable shift towards more modern and efficient forms of transportation takes place on purely economic and practical terms but creates its own challenge and potential pitfalls. Ending tram services would imply a probable increase in road congestion because of the added number of buses. The environmental implication that derives from the replacement of electric trams by more fossil fuel-dependent vehicles also cannot be trivialized, amidst an emerging need for cities to reduce carbon footprint.
The economic implications of this decision will also spill over into other industries beyond direct transportation. The tram system has also been a significant tourism attraction because it is a one-of-a-kind method for visitors to see the city. The destruction of the system may have implications for the tourist appeal of Kolkata as a heritage tourism destination. Local businesses on the tram routes may also lose out due to the changes in passenger movement, which may also threaten their livelihoods.
These services in the heritage stretch from Maidan to Esplanade now make a small consolation, but really raises questions about the sustainability of such limited service.The absence of the greater network makes this heritage line risk turn out to be a mere novelty attraction and not just a practical part of the city’s transport system. It raises difficult balancing acts between progress and preservation many cities face in their urban development strategy.
Kolkata is losing its trams, but it’s certainly not alone. Cities have faced innumerable dilemmas like these. On the other hand, San Francisco presents an interesting contrast. While it managed to save its iconic cable cars from the brink of extinction, they are now a tourist attraction and something of a functional, albeit limited, form of public transport. This example therefore suggests that heritage transport systems can form part of modern, integrated urban system if supported by public imagination and ingenuity.
The end of tram services in Kolkata can hardly be a change in the face of urban transportation; it is rather a shift in priority in the city, and it poses the most pertinent question of whether cities can be developed and modernized without losing their inherent characteristics and history. The challenge for Kolkata ahead would lie in glorifying its past while creating a sustainable yet efficient future for its residents.
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