Calcutta Tramways Company - Timeline

Timeline

1873

An attempt was made to run a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) tramway service between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street on 24 February. The service was not adequately patronised, and was discontinued on 20 Nov.

1880

The Calcutta Tramway Co. Ltd was formed and registered in London on 22 December. Metre-gauge horse-drawn tram tracks were laid from Sealdah to Armenian Ghat via Bowbazar Street, Dalhousie Square and Strand Road. The route was inaugurated by the Viceroy, Lord Ripon, on 1 November.

1882

Steam locomotives were deployed experimentally to haul tram cars. By the end of the nineteenth century the company owned 166 tram cars, 1000 horses, seven steam locomotives and 19 miles of tram tracks.

1900

Electrification of the tramway, and reconstruction of tracks to 4 ft 8 1⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) was begun.

1902

The first electric tramcar in Asia ran from Esplanade to Kidderpore on 27 March, and on 14 June from Esplanade to Kalighat.

1903

The Kalighat line was extended to Tollygunje, the Esplanade line to Belgachhia (via Bidhan Sarani, Shyambazar), and the Esplanade to Shialdaha route (via Binay Badal Dinesh Bag, Rajib Gandhi Sarani and Mahatma Gandhi Road) opened.

1904

Esplanade to Bagbazar route through College Street opened.

1905

Howrah Station to Bandhaghat route was opened to trams in June. Electrification project completed.

1906

Bowbazar Junction to Binay Badal Dinesh Bag, Ahiritola Junction to Hatibagan Junction routes opened.

1908

Lines to Shibpur via G.T. Road prepared. Esplanade to Shialdaha station via Moula Ali Junction, Moula Ali Junction to Nonapukur, Wattganj Junction to J.Das Park Junction (via Alipur), Mominpur Junction to Behala routes opened.

1910

Shialdaha Station to Rajabazar route opened.

1915

Mirzapur Junction to Bowbazar Junction and Shialdaha Station to Lebutala Junction routes opened.

1920

Strand Road Junction to High Court route opened.

1923

S.C.Mallik Square Junction to Park Circus route (via Royd Street, Nonapukur) opened.

1925

Barhabazar Junction to Nimtala route opened.

1928

Kalighat to Baliganj route opened.

1930

Park Circus line extended to Garhiahat Junction.

1941

Rajabazar line extended to Galiff Street.

1943

The Calcutta system was connected with the Howrah section through the new Howrah Bridge in February. With this extension, the total track length reached 42.0 miles (67.59 km).

1951

The government of West Bengal entered into an agreement with the Calcutta Tramways Company, and the Calcutta Tramways Act of 1951 was enacted. The government assumed all rights regarding the Tramways, and reserved the right to purchase the system (with two years' notice) on 1 January 1972 or any time thereafter.

1967

The Government of West Bengal passed the Calcutta Tramways Company (Taking Over of Management) Act and assumed management on 19 July. On 8 November 1976 the Calcutta Tramways (Acquisition of Undertaking) ordinance was promulgated, under which the company (and its assets) united with the government.

1970

The Howrah sections were closed in October; the 1971/1973 Nimtala route was closed down in May 1973, and realignment of the Howrah Station terminus occurred. Total track length was now reduced to 38 miles (61.2 km).

1980

Tram tracks on Bentinck Street and Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay Road closed for construction of the Kolkata metro; following construction, these stretches were not reopened. Overhead wires were present until 1994 on Bentinck Street. Tracks on Jawaharlal Nehru Road remained after realignment, making a new terminus at Birla Planetarium; the Birla Planetarium route closed in 1991. An overpass was constructed on that road in 2006.

1982

The Sealdah Station terminus (along with the Sealdaha – Lebutala stretch on Bipin Bihari Gangopadhyay Street) closed for construction of an overpass. The site is now occupied by Sealdah Court and a bus terminal.

1985

On 17 April, tracks were extended connecting Manicktola to Ultadanga via Manicktola Main road and C. I. T. Road 3.7 km (2.30 mi). This was the first Tramways extension since 1947.

1986

On 31 December, further extension of tram tracks from Behala to Joka was completed.

1992

Calcutta Tramways Company undertook a new venture by introducing bus service from 4 November, initially with a fleet of 40 buses.

1993

Howrah Station terminus closed and tram tracks removed on Howrah Bridge; the cantilever bridge proved too weak for trams. All routes terminated there were shortened to the Barhabazar (Howrah Bridge) terminus (formerly Barhabazar Junction).

1995

High Court terminus closed for reconstruction of Strand Road. Rails and wires were removed from there and from Strand Road, Hare Street and Shahid Kshudiram Basu Road. The site is now occupied by the newest building of the Kolkata High Court.

2004

Garhiahat Depot – Garhiahat Junction link on Gariahat Road closed for construction of the Gariahat overpass.

2006

Mominpur – Behala stretch on Diamond Harbour Road closed for construction of an overpass at Taratala. Initially, there was a plan to route tracks on that overpass after its completion, but the road was later converted to a National Highway and the plan dismissed. The Behala – Joka stretch is still in existence, along with the Behala terminus.

2007

Wattgunge Junction – Mominpur Diamond Harbour Road, Mominpur – Jatin Das Park Judges Court Road, Jatin Das Park – Kalighat Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road routes closed for reconstruction. As of October 2011, they have not yet reopened.

2008

Galiff Street terminus realigned. Irregular service from Bagbazar to Galiff Street converted to regular by Route 7/12. Rails and wires removed from part of Bidhan Sarani route (restored by end of year).

2009

Tracks on R. G. Kar Road from Shyambazar five-point crossing to Belgatchia tram depot closed down for reconstruction. As of early 2011, they are not yet restored.Now it was reopened.

2011

Joka-Behala stretch and Behala depot closed down for construction of the Joka-BBD Bag metro project;Ballygunj-Kalighat stretch closed for reconstruction.Lalbazar-Mirjapur down line was closed but up line still opened