Kolkata, India is home to Asia's oldest operational tram network. But committed riders of the city's streetcars worry that may soon change as the system faces discontinuation.
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00:00The bell is tolling for one of Asia's oldest public transportation networks, now at risk
00:09of being phased out.
00:12Located in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, it's India's last operating tramway.
00:17For 18-year-old Kolkata resident Deep Das, the streetcars aren't just a mode of transportation,
00:22they are part of the city's unique charm.
00:25Whenever I sit in a tram, I can see the city through a different point of view.
00:30Because these wooden frames have a different taste of vision.
00:35I can see the detail of the city through this tram because it's very nostalgic.
00:40The tramway was established in 1873, when Kolkata was the capital of British-ruled India.
00:47The trams have witnessed over a century of historic events, both pre- and post-independence.
00:53The network once boasted 37 lines, now only three remain.
00:58Traffic congestion and neglect have contributed to declining ridership, but locals like Das
01:03have not given up on the trams.
01:06I really feel sad about it that I'm riding these trams and one day they all will be scrapped.
01:13But the next time I think that we can be the change, we can do something.
01:17So let's not lose hope and let's fight for it.
01:21We can make something better out of it instead of scrapping it.
01:24The state government says it plans to shut down the 151-year-old network, except for
01:29one line they plan to use as a heritage joyride route for tourists.
01:35Tram advocates say the streetcars have taken a backseat to the city's car, metro and bus
01:40infrastructure.
01:41But they say trams are a better investment.
01:44The service life of the trams is 50, 60, 70, 80 years in contrast to 5 to 10 years for
01:52buses, state transport buses.
01:55And for trams the operational running cost and everything is minimum.
01:59Spare parts may be expensive, but they are so durable that in the long run these are
02:06all economically sound.
02:09The Tram Users' Association says this issue isn't just a question about finances, but
02:14also of national identity.
02:16This is the only city in India which has the tramways and if this is removed then the glory
02:24of not only the city, the country will be lost.
02:29Tram advocates say investing more in the electric streetcar system can help Kolkata, a metropolis
02:34of over 15 million people, cut down on traffic and pollution.
02:39And as committed riders continue their fight to preserve the streetcars, they hope their
02:43city won't lose track of a piece of its cultural heritage.
02:48Kama Shu and Wesley Lewis for Taiwan Plus.