Reconnecting Urban Spaces:

Abstract

With roots in 1873, Kolkata is home to Asia's only surviving tram system, an iconic form of transportation. The tramway, which will commemorate its 150th anniversary in 2023, is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and secure mode of public transportation and a representation of the city's history. But even with their modest infrastructure and historical value, Kolkata's tramways are in danger of disappearing due to several pressing issues. To protect the sole tramway network on the continent, it is imperative that this essential legacy in transportation be revived. Nowadays, trams are seeing a resurgence all over the world. In the 21st century, 108 new towns introduced trams, mostly because of their pollution-free operation. Kolkata's tramway infrastructure still exists; by modernizing the system, it can be utilized to bring back the service. There are three active routes now, compared to six operational routes with a total track length of 39.37 kilometres prior to the pandemic. Despite having 37 initial Tram routes, Kolkata has now only 3 operational routes and those routes are also degrading with time. Older infrastructures, less speed, probe to traffic congestions, poor maintenance are some of the primary reasons that citizens in Kolkata are preferring other modes of Public Transport (Buses, Metros, Autos etc.). The daily ridership number has been rapidly decreasing (from 1.6 lakh passengers per day in 2008 to merely 15000 passengers per day, as of 2022). The 21st century is seeing unparalleled global climate change, necessitating the implementation of environmentally responsible solutions. India's energy sector emits a large amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. 142 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions are produced each year, of which 123 million tonnes are produced by the transport sector alone. With these considerations in mind, India has committed to decreasing its carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by the year 2030, which will result in a 45% reduction in carbon emissions and the achievement of net-zero emissions by the year 2070. These pledges centre on the necessity of electric mobility, with Kolkata's century-old trams offering a practical choice for public transportation. Reconnecting Urban Spaces: A Strategic Approach to Tramways through Heritage Route Mapping (A Case of Kolkata) Department of Transport Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal (MP)-462030 iv Trams are a more sustainable form of transportation than buses since they can carry more people and require less upkeep and operating. On the negative side, issues hindering the expansion of tramways include traffic jams on the roads, inadequate networks, passenger safety during boarding and alighting, and unsightly overhead wires. A well-designed tramway system will improve Kolkata's urban environment, leisure options, and tourism sector while also encouraging more people to utilize trams. Other countries in Europe and Australia are concentrating on reviving their Tram network into Modern and convenient Light Rail Transits (LRTs) which offer a sustainable planning approach in transportation. In Kolkata’s context, both heritage and modern and sustainable development is needed for reviving the Tramways. The thesis seeks to preserve Kolkata's architectural history while reestablishing urban areas with a tram network that is efficient for public transportation. The study aims to determine the cause of tram route closures, assess the current state and issues with the tram routes, and find and suggest solutions to make tramways a vital part of Kolkata's public transportation network while preserving its historical significance. The study's recommendations could serve as a model for creating and reinstating tramways in other Indian cities, however it is only focused on the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area. The research has been focused to propose a planning framework, by integrating Heritage Route Mapping and developing modern infrastructure for passenger’s convenience. The Heritage Tram routes can be an integral part of the city by providing a chance to experience the City's heritage to the tourists. AHP method has been used to identify suitable Heritage sites and routes for tourism. Besides, the modern infrastructure has been proposed to cater daily passengers along with other modes of transport in the city. Keywords – Tramways, Urban Spaces, Heritage Route Mapping, LRT, Grey Relational Analysis, RSM, WSM