Trams an iconic symbol of Kolkata; should not be totally disbanded: Calcutta High Court to State

Trams are an iconic symbol for the city of Kolkata and a part of its heritage like the yellow painted taxis, and should be protected by the State, the Calcutta High Court observed on Wednesday..A bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam was dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by a lawyer and a tram enthusiast, who raised concern that tramways in Kolkata were being phased out due to official apathy and mismanagement..The hearing led Chief Justice Sivagnanam to remark,“The people of Calcutta are very passionate about trams and it is an iconic symbol, like your yellow taxis ... Elsewhere in the world, wherever tram ways are there, they have been periodically replaced by new tram cars, which resemble the old tramcars, with the latest technology. So, therefore, if you want to pursue, definitely the State can do … The people of Kolkata need to be heard in the matter, they are so passionate … An extra step has to be taken. Dismantling, removing is not the (solution).".On finding that the State was yet to frame a concrete policy on the issue, the Court ordered the government to do the same..Notably, the Court restrained the State government from auctioning properties belonging to the Calcutta Tramways Corporation (CTC) until further orders, while opining that the State should not completely efface or disband trams in Kolkata. .The interim order was passed after the Court was informed some of such properties had been sold by the government through public auctions to private companies. These properties earlier housed depots and tram sheds, which the Court observed were required for the efficient and effective operation of tramways. .While restraining any further sale, the Court observed in its order:“It is an undisputed fact that trams in Kolkata are a part of its heritage. The respondent, being a welfare State, are also to preserve heritage for the purpose of not only enjoying the same for the present but also to preserve the same for posterity. When the public of Kolkata are very proud that the Durga Puja festival has been given a heritage tag by UNESCO, equally, they should be proud to have the tram services restored, maintained and operated efficiently in the city of Kolkata.”The Court also noted that while the earlier length of tramway lines in Kolkata was about 116.62 kilometers, the tramway lines currently used was only about 33.04 kilometers..In order to examine the issue, the Court also ordered the constitution of a committee comprising:State representatives;Experts in the field of preservation of heritage and culture drawn from different sources;representatives of NGOs, including the People United For Better Living in Calcutta, which had filed a another petition on the issue; andmembers of the public who are enthusiastic about trams and the preservation of culture and heritage.This should be a broad-based committee with independent minds which can examine and submit a report on how tram services can be restored, maintained and preserved in Kolkata, the Court ordered. The State was ordered to suggest names for inclusion into the committee within 3 weeks, after which the Court may finalise the constitution of the committee and its terms of reference..What are you going to leave behind for posterity?.During the hearing, the Chief Justice commented that the issue should not be viewed from the revenue standpoint alone. He reasoned that even the preservation of heritage buildings may sometimes involve heavy expenses. Even so, demolition is not the solution, he said.“Preservation, renovation, restoration and upkeep is going to involve five times the cost of constructing a new structure. But then, for posterity, what are you leaving behind? Are you going to leave behind 30-storey, 40-storey buildings, steel and mortar?” he queried.The hearing also saw concerns being raised that existing tram cars were in bad shape owing to corrosion and neglect.“Nobody buys tickets. That is a problem. The public needs to be sensitised... They hop in, hop out, because it goes at a speed that anyone can get into a running train,” the Chief Justice added..The petitioner’s counsel urged for the Court’s intervention in the matter after pointing out that tramways were an inseverable part of Kolkata. He recounted that Rabindranath Tagore had even depicted it as a mode of transport where romance would bloom between young passengers. He recounted that in 1947, when India got independence, people of Kolkata celebrated by riding on every compartment of two tramways. He also produced a photograph of the event before the Court.Appearing for the State, Advocate General SN Mookherji told the Court that he had requested the State to come out with a policy on the issue, considering the question of heritage and legacy involved. The AG also touched upon the nostalgic value of tramways, recounting that even during his college days, a part of the journey was on a tram.He added that while it may not be possible to restore all tramways, best efforts can be made to preserve its heritage.Whereas the State had submitted a report on the issue in March, pursuant to earlier orders passed by the Court, the AG told the Court that the important, central issue of heritage has not been properly addressed and that a definite policy was yet to be spelt out.