Combining the educational ethos and the significance of an eco-pleasant mode of transport, the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) introduced a tram library recently. Passing through College Street also known as ‘boipara’ or “the area of books”, the single coach AC tram will run regularly between Esplanade and Shyambazar, one of the oldest tram routes in the city.
The library will have books and magazines, including those on competitive examinations such as the civil services, WBCS, GRE or GMAT in order to attract readers from various educational institutions along its route, West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) managing director Rajanvir Singh Kapur said. There are at least 30 educational institutions along or near its route, including the Calcutta University and Presidency University, Scottish Church College, Hindu School, Hare School and the Calcutta Girls’ School. “The tram library, being introduced by the WBTC that oversees India’s only functional tramways, is a special tram with books, magazines, which can be read while travelling on the tram,” Kapur said.
Officials said amid the Covid-19 pandemic all norms were being maintained to sanitise trams to ensure the safety of passengers. Tram cars are being regularly disinfected before and after each shift. Officials also added that the tram will also provide free Wi-Fi and air conditioning to make the readers comfortable. Services of the online library will also be included soon. “We are also planning book reading sessions, book launches and literary festivals in the tram library in the future,” Kapur said.
Significantly, the launch of the library coincides with the resumption of Esplanade-Shyambazar tram route. After the catastrophic impression of Cyclone Amphan, 4 tram routes, out of six that operated earlier than the pandemic, began functioning. Kolkata trams are the oldest running electric trams in Asia. At present, Kolkata is the only Indian city to have a tram network. Recently, the WBTC installed art in some trams, depicting how the services began in 1873, and were electrified in 1900. Electric tram cars have been a feature of the city since 1902.
