Kolkata’s iconic trams face final stop as modernisation rolls in
Passengers sit inside a decorated tram during the 152nd anniversary celebrations of trams in Kolkata, India
| Photo Credit:
SAHIBA CHAWDHARY
For more than a century, trams have rumbled past Kolkata’s crumbling colonial facades, with their chiming bells
contributing to the city’s soundtrack as they ferried
generations of commuters.
Now, Asia’s oldest tram network is on the brink of
disappearing as authorities consider pulling the plug on a mode
of transport that has become more nostalgia than necessity.
The West Bengal government plans to shut down the
152-year-old system, keeping only a short heritage route. The
decision has sparked a court battle as residents and heritage
advocates fight to keep the trams rolling.
“As children, we would take the trams for fun, but as I grew
older it became a necessity,” said Abha Maity, 44, recalling
rides to school and college. “I can’t imagine Kolkata without
them.”
Once a highlight of the city’s streets, the wobbly trams now
struggle for space amid traffic jams – competing with buses and
yellow taxis – as Kolkata builds modern infrastructure and seeks
faster transport.
Kolkata introduced horse-drawn trams in 1873 and electrified
them in 1902. At its peak, the network boasted more than 340
trams and covered the entire city. Today, only two routes
remain, with a fleet of about 10.
“When I joined, more than 340 trams were running. Now it’s
down to seven or eight,” said Bacchu Sidda, a conductor for 36
years who still checks his duty roster pinned on a board at the
last functioning depot in Gariahat.
The government began selling depots and scrapping cars years
ago, prompting a citizens’ group called Calcutta Tram Users
Association (CTUA) to take the fight to court. CTUA has
campaigned since 2016 to save what remains of the system.
“I love my trams more than myself,” said Deep Das, 19, a
journalism student and CTUA member. “If they disappear, it will
be like a part of my body has left me.”
Despite resistance, authorities are pouring billions into
upgrading Kolkata’s infrastructure, focusing on metro expansion,
wider roads and new highways to ease congestion.
For now, the fate of Kolkata’s aging trams awaits a court
review, as they continue carrying some passengers who view them
as living memories of the city’s past.
Published on December 29, 2025
