Melbourne tram enthusiasts join the battle to save India's last tram network, a cause led by a dedicated group from Melbourne, including the Tramjatra founder and former Melbourne conductor, Roberto D’Andrea. The Tramjatra festival, a celebration of the cultural significance and environmental benefits of trams, has united enthusiasts from India and Australia for three decades. However, the distinct sound of an oncoming tramcar could soon become a distant memory in Kolkata as the West Bengal government plans to permanently decommission the tram system, citing worsening traffic congestion. This proposal has sparked an outcry from locals who consider the trams an integral part of the city's identity. The Tramjatra festival, which recognizes the cultural significance of trams in both cities, brings together tram enthusiasts, known as gunzels, from the two continents. Melbourne's tram network is now 100% offset by renewable energy, thanks to two large solar farms in Victoria, and there are plans to construct tram stops entirely from repurposed industrial waste. Mr. D'Andrea believes there is much to learn from Melbourne's emphasis on sustainability, which has shielded it from a global decline in trams. The Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA) argues that scrapping trams would be a setback for environmental sustainability as Kolkata battles transport-related pollution issues. The CTUA advocacy group has launched legal action against the closure of the network, which is currently before the West Bengal courts. As trams face extinction in India, they are being revived across the world, with English cities Manchester and Nottingham re-establishing their tram networks, Helsinki ordering dozens of new trams for its city center, and the Brazilian city of Salvador developing a new tram network. Mr. D'Andrea believes Kolkata should follow suit, stating that there is a universal love for trams in the city and that it's hard to imagine the city without them.
