G20 podium
KOLKATA: From 300 trams a day to 10, the journey of Kolkata’s cheapest mode of transport seems to be in its final stages. But the Calcutta Tram Users Association (CUTA) is putting up a fight. From filmmakers to policy researchers to college students to tramway employees, a motley group of people have come together for the purpose. They protest on streets, they campaign on social media, and they spread the word through anyone who cares about trams.
“Trams are woven into Kolkata’s historical culture and we wouldn’t let them die,” said Debashish Bhattacharya, President of CUTA It remains to be seen if the organisation can still win what seems like a losing war. But it has already won a battle of perception. “Kolkatans love their trams and we are working to make them more relevant again,” said RS Kapur, Managing Director of the West Bengal Transport Corporation.
While trams also operated in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kanpur during the British rule, they survived the test of time only in Kolkata, the first city in Asia to get an electric tram in 1902.
In Kolkata, where trams have been an integral part of life for many generations, there are many who care about its legacy. CUTA has over 4,000 members worldwide supporting the cause and a 30-member core committee which meets once a month to discuss measures.
