Modern tram fails to woo passengers

June 26, 2013

By Soudhriti Bhabani in Kolkata

IT’S a part of Kolkata’s rich heritage, yet the vintage tram has failed to attract tourists and passengers in its new, modernised avatar. The state tourism and transport department jointly introduced an AC tram coach with modern comfort and facilities. The initiative, aimed at promoting Kolkata tourism as well as revive the 130- year- old tram system, has been a disappointment as far as ticket sales are concerned. Christened as ‘ Heritage Tour’, the 22- passenger capacity AC tram service was kicked off on Wednesday last. The tram is scheduled to run five days a week, barring Monday and Thursday, twice daily. While it runs for two hours — from 7 am to 9 am — in the morning, its evening run is shorter, around one- and- a- half hours, between 5pm and 7 pm. In the morning it runs from Esplanade to Shyambazar through College Street area and in the evening it plies from Esplanade to Khidirpur. After the official launch, the AC tram remained in the depot for two days owing to bleak response from passengers. On Saturday, when the AC tram finally started its first journey, most of the seats were lying vacant. The response remained poor even on Sunday with only a few passengers hopping on to the AC coach for a heritage ride. A ride on the AC tram costs ` 260 per person and includes breakfast if it’s a morning journey and snacks if one is travelling in the evening. According to sources, the Calcutta Tramways Co get ` 60 per passenger and the remaining amount goes to the state tourism department. Named ‘ Choruibati’, the AC tram cost the tourism department ` 20 lakh and its publicity and ticket booking is being handled by IRCTC, which would soon start online ticket booking for the heritage ride. The CTC is not disheartened with the lack of interest from passengers. “ The initial response has been slow but we are expecting it to improve in the days to come. We are trying popularise it. We also plan to introduce four more AC trams in Kolkata by the end of the current financial year,” said CTC chairman Shantilal Jain. Ride on the AC tram costs ` 260 per person and includes breakfast if it’s a morning journey and snacks if one is travelling in the evening.

http://epaper.mailtoday.in/epaperhome.aspx?issue=2562013