Asia’s oldest operating trams see slow death in India

KOLKATA: The dinging bell of a tram rattling through the streets of the Indian city of Kolkata is all it takes for Deep Das to have the “happiest moment” of his day.

“There were times when there were frequent buses... but I still waited for the trams,” the 18-year-old student said.

But while their fans hail the slow-moving transport system as the “glory” of the megacity and an integral part of how historic Kolkata grew, the 151-year-old network is under threat.

A lackadaisical attitude to maintaining the tram system has contributed to its slow decay.

Das is among a group of enthusiasts called the Calcutta Tram Users´ Association (CTUA) fighting to protect the trams.

CTUA leader and retired biochemist Debashish Bhattacharyya argues that city authorities risk losing a cheap transport solution with green credentials.

“The investment you require is minimum,” Bhattacharyya said, accusing politicians of ignoring the potential “economic success” of the trams.

“The life of the trams is 50 to 80 years, in contrast to five to 10 years for buses -- and their operational running cost is minimum.”