Way OT: [Tramnews] Change of heart in Calcutta

Hi, gang!

Update to my previous post about the possibility of Calcutta's trams being
withdrawn. Apparently the chief minister, almost immediately, overruled his
finance minister and ordered the Calcutta trolleys to continue operating.

Milantram
========================

Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 01:48:51 -0300
From: "Marcelo Benoit" <mmbenoit@a...>
Subject: Calcutta tramways saved by Hiroshima...

BUDDHADEB BOOST FOR TRAMS, ON HIROSHIMA LINES

BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Calcutta, Sept. 24:
The tussle over tramcars took a decisive turn on
Monday with Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee making his
intentions clear. The Japan-returned chief minister's
verdict: Let's reinvent, rather than route out trams.
Fresh from a first-hand look at the "high-speed,
new-look trams" in Hiroshima, Bhattacharjee clarified
that the government had "no plans" to scrap the
eco-friendly streetcars.

Last week, finance minister Asim Dasgupta had caused a
stir by indicating at a seminar on public transport
services that the government was ready to discontinue
tram services in the city.

"I know what Asim said at the seminar. But I, as chief
minister, inform you that no such decision has been
taken," Bhattacharjee clarified at a media briefing on
Monday. "What Asim meant was that tram services should
be withdrawn from a few busy, narrow streets to
facilitate faster flow of traffic. I personally share
Asim's view. I feel his statement has been
misinterpreted," Bhattacharjee added.

Expressing "amazement" over the tramways in Hiroshima,
Bhattacharjee said: "I had no idea that trams could
run so fast. We are still sticking to the system
introduced by the British 100 years ago. If we want
our tramways to be an efficient system of transport,
we will have to review the system and realign tram
tracks all over the city. You cannot run fast trams in
the middle of busy streets."

The chief minister, who observed how the public
transport system in Japan always ran "dot on time",
added that he had met the management of the Hiroshima
company which has introduced modern tram services in
four European cities.

"I have invited the company to help improve our
tramways. I am carrying all necessary papers and
graphics on the matter, which will now be followed up
by chief secretary Manish Gupta," the chief minister
said.

On Monday afternoon, several hundred tram employees
demonstrated near Chowringhee's four-point crossing to
protest the government's reported attempt to withdraw
tram services. Rajdeo Goala, president, Tram Workers
and Employees Union, alleged that "some bureaucrats
and politicians with vested interests" were conspiring
to derail trams.

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