If biochemistry and the Kolkata tram had a friend in common, it would be Debasish Bhattacharyya. This retired scientist is today among the strongest pro-tram voices in a city that happens to be the only one in India where this environment-friendly mode of transport still exists but on the verge of extinction.
“Had it been so easy to wipe out tramways from Kolkata, the Left Front government would have done so in the 1990s. At present, public opinion in favour of tramway is stronger than before. Please wait for a few years and watch the situation. Logically, we are much ahead of anti-tram lobbies,” said Dr. Bhattacharyya, president of CTUA, or Calcutta Tram Users’ Association, ahead of the events on Saturday to mark 151 years of the Kolkata tram.
It was in 2017 that he retired from CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology at Jadavpur, but he has been a pro-tram activist from the 1990s, when the State Government appeared set to make this gentle mode of transport a thing of the past. “Since I was a Central Government servant, the State authority could never interfere with my profession as a revenge for my pro-tram activities,” he said.
Dr. Bhattacharyya’s association with the tram began right from his infancy, and the route he took most often was the College Street section which, incidentally, is one of the only three routes still functional even though shrunk. During its heyday, in the 1970s, the city’s tramway boasted of more than 50 routes.
“Travelling in a tram was like watching the world on a moving screen. I discovered the whole city travelling in tramcars. At present, the services are so unreliable and truncated that I have no scope to ride the tram,” Dr. Bhattacharyya said.
But he has hope. “Scientific literature has taught me to distinguish between sense and nonsense. Before making any comment on tramways, I extensively reviewed documents on modern tramways and found out that the tramway, once rejected, is now considered the best option for mass transport in an urban agglomeration. It is even better than metro rail in some aspects. If corruption and dishonesty do not continue to play vital roles, Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) has a bright future based on scientific and social merits. In fact, it qualifies for UNESCO recognition,” he said.
The retired scientist alleged that the “destruction” of the CTC has been caused over the years by West Bengal’s transport department through the three “independent but interrelated authorities” such as the West Bengal Transport Corporation, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and the traffic police. These days, government agencies hardly have anything encouraging to say about the tram — in fact they generally avoid comments.
The CTUA, therefore, remains the sole voice of the iconic tram. It was established in 2016 during an event held at Esplanade to felicitate Roberto D’Andrea, an Australian tram conductor; and its activities include postering, distribution of leaflets, street-corner meetings, submission of articles in print media, and participating in television shows.
“An efficient tramway reduces societal imbalance. It can accommodate all sections of people. Note that air and noise pollution, road congestion, and accidents uniformly affect all citizens even though the major culprits happen to be car owners. This is not democracy,” Dr. Bhattacharyya said.
