by Rajat Subhra Chatterjee
0078
At last the inevitable has happened. Tram cars in Kolkata are on its way into history. It’s decided, now, that except on a very small route – between Esplanade to Maidan – that too in the back of the maidan in the vicinity of Kolkata Race course, Tram will not ply at all, anywhere in the city of Kolkata. Though, tram tracks are still in existence in many parts of the city and some parts are admittedly in very bad shape due to non maintenance of these tracks, yet the total eclipse of Tram cars is surely going to be a nostalgic blow in the mindsets of the so called pure ‘Bong’.
I for instance have very sweet memory on Tram cars, right from our childhood. My father being a Govt. Civil Servant has had postings outside in districts during my childhood and we only used to visit Kolkata ( then Calcutta ) during summer and Puja vacation.
Right from getting down at Howrah station, we would board a Tram for our destination to our grand parents’ houses, either in Park Circus or in Ballygunge. The Tram used to ply its way through Howrah bridge, then into Burra Bazar on the Harrison Road, then crossing Sealdah Station towards Park Circus crossing Entally. It used to be a kind of joy ride as around those days, there would hardly be any huge number of passengers. Life was so easy. We brothers and sisters used to run and rush inside and used to shift from seat to another in an attempt to get a better viewing access.
Another most interesting part of those joy rides was that often many hawkers with lozenges and various other mouth watering items used to frequent the rides and it would be great opportunity for we children to get some of those from our Mother who was benevolent enough to permit buying some of those. It was double delight for us.
Our father’s parents used to live in Park Circus while my mother’s were in Kasba, beyond Ballygunge station. We used to put up with either of these places by rotation possibly, but thoroughly used to enjoy the Tram car rides. It is not out of place to mention here that another ‘obsolete’, yet very favourite item for us was the Double Decker buses. We children used to rush on to the upper deck and hurry up to grab the front row seats to get the best of view of the city. Well, double decker bus story may wait for now in the backdrop of this obituary of Tram which is going to be a thing of the past from this month.
During late 50s and early 60s, Kolkata Tram tracks used to have railings in many places. The most nostalgic scenario was between the stretch from Beck Bagan on Amir Ali Avenue to Gariahat and then to either side to Ballygunge station or towards to Rashbehari crossing. These portions were elevated from road level (still now some portions are elevated) and mostly guarded with iron railings. And to have icing on the cake, these long stretches of tracks used to have completely been covered with thick, green grass bedding and the Tram used to ply through that grass beds. That was the most beautiful scenic enjoyment.
I still remember the tram ticket in the 1st class used to be 5 paise for a long stretch. Tram used to run slower than the buses yet the slow but steady ride was so charming in those days as there was no rash, mad rush for competition like today we have in every sphere of our lives.
From Park Circus to Ballygunge, there was a very important stoppage for we brothers. That was the Gurusaday Dutta Road crossing. The CCFC ground was and still is situated at that crossing. We used to frequent the CCFC ground in Tram and used to enter the ground from a small iron gate, meant for public on the Eastern side of the ground. We would sit in the ground and enjoy cricket in the winter sun facing us. It was like green carpet all over. So serene and beautiful. And inside the field, there would be all whites who used to play in cream flannels. During winters, that was a must visit spot for me to enjoy cricket. Ironically, the then captain of the CCFC team was one Mr. Turnbull who incidentally was the then GM of Kolkata Tramways Company. A hefty, white Brit with cherry red face who was equally a good cricketer. It is simply ironic and incidental that I myself one day, much later in life, would be playing competitive cricket on that very ground and be a member of CCFC.
In India only Kolkata was having Tram till now. Though in many other cities in SA and Europe, Tram is very much an important transport mode for public. I have seen Tram on the roads of Johannesburg. Tram plies in Valencia in Spain, in London, Paris, Milan, Rome also. And very importantly in Scotland. I have sweet memories of Tram ride in Rome when I had to go to Indian embassy from Tarmini, a terminus area where I was staying. In Scotland, when we landed at Edinburgh Railway station from Charing Cross, London, my wife prompted me in to Tram ride. We took the ride and while scanning our ticket card, asked the driver/conductor to show us our destination hotel spot. The Tram got stopped after a fifteen minutes drive when we were ushered into the drivers cabin and was showed a lane and was told our hotel would a black stoned wall building on the right. The driver cum conductor was so nice in his behavour that we had no difficulty in finding out our hotel. Unthinkable in these parts of the world.
Many of our childhood memories are gradually getting into oblivion, one more is getting added to that list which we will miss very much, may not be in utility but surely as memoir. That Tram cars once used to be horse pulled (called Horse cars) in Kolkata, we get to know and remember that through a model kept in Salt Lake City Center. Don’t know really what would our grand children be nostalgic about Kolkata if gradually such iconic items are removed one after the other ? Kolkata is so rich in heritage, one hopes, that Tram Cars would also be kept as heritage symbol, somewhere at some place for public view down the years.
Concluded…..
