Our city, our trams:)

As a student, one of the best (and one out of the few) things to experience in our city (Calcutta, then, now Kolkata) was trams. 

During schooling years, and till college days, trams remained a close associate. There was something 'organic' about these machines, that roared like monsters while passing through narrower roads like Elliot Road (south-central Kolkata).

I had my favourite routes too. One of these is the Maidan route, which connects Esplanade to Kidderpore (and other southern localities). Off-office hours, any tram route was a rejoicing experience. Besides being a cost-effective and slow journey, it was always a safe ride. 

Of course, whenever I took a tram for a journey, there was always a plan-B if something goes wrong on the way. A temporary power-cut (trams don't pollute as they pass by, as they run on electricity), trams running off the tracks, some repair work taking place on the way, a traffic-choked road, a protest or hundreds of people walking in a rally disrupting traffic movement, suspension of service due to water-logging on the streets - anything was a possibility.

Statistically, trams had a steady frequency during office hours.

As the city evolved, and newer modes got added - metro train routes, auto-rickshaws on shorter routes, personal two-wheelers, trams were expected to compete.

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As a citizen, I observed that trams continued to thrive. There were beautiful attempts - special trams, special occasions, campaigns, etc. The city planners and citizens have differing opinions. Personally, we all want to experience a smooth flow of traffic. But people who have grown up with trams do love these machines, and so do most Kolkatans.

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Recently, as I stood by the roadside to board a bus, I saw a single-coach tram headed my way. These are AC coaches with wifi facility. While to us it may sound 'costly', the ticket is priced at just Rs 20 for a journey that may cost much more if you take an aggregator-app-cab for the same journey. The interior was neatly done, the door was functional, the seats were good.

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We love trams in our city like we love many other things in the city of joy. It doesn't matter if you differ. :)

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