NATIONAL: The West Bengal government has decided to discontinue the 150-year-old tram service in Kolkata soon, barring a solitary heritage stretch from Maidan to Esplanade, Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty said.

Tram lovers, however, have decided to hit the streets in protest against the decision. Kolkata is the only city in the country where trams continue to operate.

Chakraborty said slow-moving trams, which move along the roads creating traffic jams in peak hours, cannot be run in the present situation as commuters need faster modes of transportation.

“Trams are undoubtedly a part of Kolkata’s heritage after their introduction in 1873 as horse-drawn carriages and played a crucial role in transportation in the previous century.

“But as roads comprise only 6 per cent of Kolkata’s surface area and with increase in vehicular traffic, we have observed that trams cannot ply the roads along the same routes at the same time as it is leading to congestion,” Chakraborty told reporters on Monday evening.

Chakraborty said as the issue of plying trams is now pending before the Calcutta High Court, the state government will make the aforementioned submission in the next hearing. PTI