High-speed trams on way

Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) has decided to replace the existing operating trams by one-bogie high-speed ones.

The operator of Asia’s oldest functional tram services has already launched one such tram. The 35-seater tram, which will initially run between Esplanade and Rajabazar area, is capable of run at a speed of 60km per hour. Apart from this, another one-boggey tram will run on weekends and public holidays.

“We are trying to revive the tram services, The new trams will have comfortable seats. We are transforming the trams from two bogies to a single bogie. As it is a one-coach tram the traffic issues can also be avoided,” West Bengal transport minister Madan Mitra said.

Accoprding to Mitra, CTC is working on a project to replace all the operating multi-coaches trams by the new one-bogie trams. “Also, we will soon introduce AC version of the one-boggey trams,” he added.

The state transport and tourism departments has also put together a plan to introduce “cafeteria trams” in Kolkata, which the minister said, are in the process of being developed. “It is taking time as we have to keep a lot of things in mind. An electric pan will be installed on the tram fencing a small area of the compartment where coffee or tea would be prepared. Also, fire extinguishers will be installed to avoid mishaps while setting up the cafeteria. In a couple of months two such trams will be ready,” he said.

According to CTC chairman Shantilal Jain, currently, the company operates 125 trams in the city carrying 15,000 passengers daily.

Apart from replacing existing trams with new models, the government has also asked CTC to renovate all its depots in the city. “CTC has a decent amount of land in prime areas of the city. Once the depots are rebuilt, it will be easier for us to identify the unutilised land,” Mitra said.

The state government has already proposed to commercially utilise the idle land in the city, owned by variois state transport corporations, including CTC.