Transformation of Old Trams

Kolkata on Tuesday got its ‘Tram World’, a concept unique to the world, where people will get an opportunity to soak themselves in a myriad of interests like art, music and heritage. Marking the 140th anniversary of the Calcutta Tramways Company, that was registered in London on December 22, 1880, Tram World Kolkata (TWK) was inaugurated in the city, which has the country’s only operational tram services.

The Tram World has been open to public since December 23, for eight hours a day from 10am and a ticket will cost Rs 30. TWK is being positioned not as a museum but a place which will evoke nostalgia about yesteryears when trams were the primary public transport system in the city.

The TWK, which has come up at Gariahat depot in South Kolkata, has been conceptualized by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC). In a press conference West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) managing director Rajanvir Singh Kapur said: ‘Old trams have been transformed and people can visit the TWK and immerse themselves in art, love for tram cars, music, food and a place to hang around. The idea is to attract young people to Kolkata’s culture.’

The Tram World has been open to public since December 23, for eight hours a day from 10am and a ticket will cost Rs 30. TWK is being positioned not as a museum but a place which will evoke nostalgia about yesteryears when trams were the primary public transport system in the city. Old tram bogeys, some of them built in 1938 have been turned into zones of art, music, photos, museum and food. The Tram World has a special section for vintage cars, curated by the Classic Drivers Club, Kolkata.

Congratulating WBTC for its initiative, Nick Low, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kolkata, said, ‘TWK will be another jewel in the city’s world-class cultural heritage.’ This will also help to create awareness about the role of trams in providing affordable and non-polluting mode of transport in the present world. The need for reviving and preserving them will also be highlighted.

‘WBTC officials and the friends of TWK worked hard to convert the scrapyard at the backside of the tram depot to set up Tram World Kolkata in just 41 days, to make it ready for people on the 140th anniversary of Calcutta Tramways Company,’ an official said.