150 years of Calcutta Trams

Kaustav Ghosh

It was 24th February, 1873. The first horse-drawn trams in India ran for 2.4 miles (3.9 km) between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street on that day. ¹ It has completed its 150 years of journey yesterday. It has come long way. Though now it has limited run, but it is a fact we feel proud trams in kolkata are not only the oldest tram in India and Asia, but also only the second oldest electric tramways in India. Trams in Kolkata are only existing tramway network in India.

From 1873-1901 this trams were pulled by horse and from 1902 to now its fuel is or you can say is operated by electric.

My story with tram is in both school days, college days and after passing out from my colleges. But I felt nostalgic to remember my tram travel in my colleges. In fact my school was in Howrah, where I live; so the only chance I got to travel in tram was mainly in durga puja. The main memory of tram travel was mainly in my college days. The Route no 25 Gariahat to B.B.D bag. In fact my law college was very near to Ballygunge phari and Gariahat tram depot was just five minutes walking distance. If my classes were over I used to take trams from gariahat depot to b.b.d bag( Now it runs upto Esplanade or Dharmatala). I still remember that tram’s journey- after crossing Park Street 7 point crossing, then Mullickbazar which is famous for the selling of bike parts and then that tiny Eliot road which took me through to the Wellington square just after crossing Maulana Azad college. After crossing Wellington square, the main challange of the tram driver was crossing the Lenin sarani which ends/starts near Tipu Sultan Masjid in the Esplanade. Those 45-55 minutes journey was nothing but a poetic delight. It will remain fresh in my mind till I have my last breathe left. In fact, my journey from college street to shyambazar, khiddepore to esplanade gave me different but absolutely mesmerizing vibes.

From college street to shyambazar route one can travel from central kolkata to north kolkata via calcutta university campus, college street boipara, thanthania kalibari, Simla which is the birth place of Swamiji, famous Hatibagan market and lastly Shyambazar five point crossing.

Khidderpore to Esplanade Tram Journey will give you the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenic beauty, the maidan, victoria memorial, golf course, Fort William. History and the nature- you got everything you want.