Asia's Oldest Tramway In Slow Decline

TaiwanPlus News

Kolkata, India is home to Asia's oldest operational tram network. But committed riders of the city's streetcars worry that may soon change as the system faces discontinuation.

Transcript

00:00The bell is tolling for one of Asia's oldest public transportation networks, now at risk

00:09of being phased out.

00:12Located in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, it's India's last operating tramway.

00:17For 18-year-old Kolkata resident Deep Das, the streetcars aren't just a mode of transportation,

00:22they are part of the city's unique charm.

00:25Whenever I sit in a tram, I can see the city through a different point of view.

00:30Because these wooden frames have a different taste of vision.

00:35I can see the detail of the city through this tram because it's very nostalgic.

00:40The tramway was established in 1873, when Kolkata was the capital of British-ruled India.

00:47The trams have witnessed over a century of historic events, both pre- and post-independence.

00:53The network once boasted 37 lines, now only three remain.

00:58Traffic congestion and neglect have contributed to declining ridership, but locals like Das

01:03have not given up on the trams.

01:06I really feel sad about it that I'm riding these trams and one day they all will be scrapped.

01:13But the next time I think that we can be the change, we can do something.

01:17So let's not lose hope and let's fight for it.

01:21We can make something better out of it instead of scrapping it.

01:24The state government says it plans to shut down the 151-year-old network, except for

01:29one line they plan to use as a heritage joyride route for tourists.

01:35Tram advocates say the streetcars have taken a backseat to the city's car, metro and bus

01:40infrastructure.

01:41But they say trams are a better investment.

01:44The service life of the trams is 50, 60, 70, 80 years in contrast to 5 to 10 years for

01:52buses, state transport buses.

01:55And for trams the operational running cost and everything is minimum.

01:59Spare parts may be expensive, but they are so durable that in the long run these are

02:06all economically sound.

02:09The Tram Users' Association says this issue isn't just a question about finances, but

02:14also of national identity.

02:16This is the only city in India which has the tramways and if this is removed then the glory

02:24of not only the city, the country will be lost.

02:29Tram advocates say investing more in the electric streetcar system can help Kolkata, a metropolis

02:34of over 15 million people, cut down on traffic and pollution.

02:39And as committed riders continue their fight to preserve the streetcars, they hope their

02:43city won't lose track of a piece of its cultural heritage.

02:48Kama Shu and Wesley Lewis for Taiwan Plus.

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