Tram enthusiasts oppose Bengal govt move to phase out Kolkata’s iconic service
Kolkata (PTI): A group of tram enthusiasts on Friday announced a demonstration outside the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) headquarters here on September 4 in protest against the state government’s ongoing withdrawal of tram services from Kolkata roads citing traffic congestion.
The Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA), a platform with over 500 members, will gather at BBD Bagh around 2 pm on that day "in protest against the well-orchestrated ploy of the transport department to wind up the over 150-year-old tram services."
CTUA office-bearer Prasenjit Basak said, "Those who love tramways and believe they are an essential mode of transport are welcome to join the peaceful demonstration under the slogans ‘Don't take away trams from our roads’ and ‘Save Trams’.”
State Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty had earlier stated that trams contribute to traffic congestion, and that the state no longer wishes to run them.
"This has already been informed to the High Court," he said, adding that while a few trams may be preserved for heritage purposes, slow-moving vehicles like trams do not align with modern public transport goals.
The over 151-year old tramway in Kolkata first began its journey as horse-drawn carriage on February 24, 1873.
The eastern metropolis became the first in Asia to have an electric tramcar service in 1902.
From 37 tram routes in Kolkata in 2011, the number has declined to two after the pandemic, a transport department official said.
The city had 61 km of tram lines in 2011, which had been reduced to 12 km in 2022.
Over 70,000 passengers used to travel on trams in 2011, but this has now reduced to a few thousand.
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Four of family killed as car jumps divider on highway in Gujarat's Panchmahal
Godhra (Gujarat) (PTI): Four members of a family were killed, and one sustained grievous injuries after their speeding car jumped a divider on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway corridor in Gujarat's Panchmahal district on Monday, police said.
The car driver lost control of the wheels near Kalol. As a result, the four-wheeler jumped the divider and veered off to the other side of the highway, an official from Kalol police station said.
Soon after the accident, some locals rushed to the scene and also alerted the police. Efforts were made to pull out the people trapped in the car.
Four persons died on the spot, while one suffered injuries, the official said.
The deceased were members of a family from Vadodara and were returning from Rajasthan when the tragedy struck, the official said.
They have been identified as Sajid Iqbal Khinji (55), Ilyas Iqbal Khinji (50), Ishaq Iqbal Khinji (48) and Rehan Azgar Khinji (35).
