West Bengal govt plans to bring trams back on track on 7 routes in Kolkata

KOLKATA: In a recent affidavit, the state transport department has informed the Calcutta High Court that it intends to revive seven more tram routes in the city by 2025 which will take the number of operational tram routes in Kolkata from three to 10.
The affidavit was submitted by WBTC managing director Rajanvir Singh Kapur in response to a PIL. The routes he cited are Tollygunge-Esplanade (29), Ballygunge-Esplanade (24), Shyambazar-BBD Bag (6), Bidhannagar-Esplanade (16), Bidhannagar-Howrah Bridge (17), Bidhannagar-BBD Bag (18) and Kidderpore-Esplanade (36). Routes that are currently operational are Shyambazar-Esplanade (5), Gariahat-Esplanade (25) and Ballygunge-Tollygunge (24/29).
The seven routes can be revived after blocked sections of tram lines - due to infrastructure work - are restored. Two Metro projects, Howrah Maidan-Salt Lake and Joka-Esplanade, have encroached on tracks, derailing trams on most routes in south and central city.
In the affidavit, Kapur said tram services were temporarily withdrawn in the Mominpur-Watgunj stretch due to construction of the Joka-Esplanade metro project. The stretch will be revived by July 2025 after RVNL hands it over. It will also lead to the revival of the Kalighat depot and the Tollygunge-Esplanade.
The affidavit said revival of the routes are important for servicing and repairing tramcars from Ballygunge and Tollygunge depots. The route will be used to take tramcars to the central tram workshop at Nonapukur. Trams running between Tollygunge and Ballygunge are currently cut off from the central workshop. Tram operations from Kidderpore to Esplanade was suspended because of pending overhead traction work in the Maidan, according to the affidavit. The tender for setting up the overhead wire is under process.
Tram services, both at Sealdah flyover and RG Kar road bridge (ROB), was suspended by the order of the government in view of the opinion of the KMDA and PWD (Road wing) for a proper health test of the bridge. Initially, the tram from Galiff Street-Bagbazar to BBD Bag via Rabindra Sarani was in operation. Kolkata Police made it a one-way (north-bound) due to traffic congestion. Shortly afterwards, the BBD Bag loop was suspended for construction of Mahakaran station by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC). The work for the station has been completed since and the site handed over to Calcutta Tram Company.
The tender of the said work is under process. However, if Kolkata traffic police allows two-way movement of tram through Rabindra Sarani (Chitpore Road) then the loop (Gallif Street-Bagbazar to BBD Bag and back) may resume as early as possible, the affidavit affirmed.