Nostalgic Memories of Urban Transportation

While zooming across cities in the US in my new Honda CR-V (it's a delight!), I suddenly recalled memories of my childhood rides on trams in Madras (now Chennai)and Bombay (now Mumbai). They were most exciting rides. In later years, I had the opportunity of tram rides in the city of Calcutta. In the US, I enjoyed riding on the tram cars in San Francisco and New Orleans.

In the 40's and early 50's, trams used to ply between Kings Circle and Museum in Bombay; The name Dadar T.T. still in use refers to Dadar Tram Terminus. In Madras, trams used to ply on various city routes. Whenever my family was in either of these cities, I got the opportunity to ride on the electric trams. The tram provided a very cheap mode of city transportation, and all the excitement of getting in or out while it was in motion.

Research on the internet reveals that tram service came to Madras/India in 1895. Operated by the Madras Electric Tramway Company it had the distinction of being the oldest such service in South-east Asia and also affordable by the people of Madras. Trams operated on the following routes in Madras:

* Mylapore to Parry’s Corner (and Royapuram)
* Triplicane to Washermanpet (via China Bazaar)
* Purasawalkam to Parry’s Corner (via Elephant Gate Junction)
* Purasawalkam to Central Station (via Elephant Gate Junction and Wall Tax Rd)
* Egmore to Parry’s Corner (and Royapuram)
* Parry’s Corner to Mount Rd (via Chindadaripet)

In the mid-fifties when Labour Unions protested that major part of the Profit was being sent back to Shareholders in Britain, the Tram Service was killed in a hurry (Midnight of April 12th 1953 to be exact) and the State Government could not step in to save a key Heritage of Madras.

Some interesting information on trams in Madras, again from the internet:

Trams were incorporated in Madras in 1882.
Trams were a way of life from 1895 to 1953.
There were 110 Tramcars on the Rolls
16.5 Miles of Effective Tramline covered the City.

And then, there were animal-powered (horses and bulls)carts that provided short hauls in most cities. Hand-pulled Rikshas were another common mode of urban transportation in the cities of Madras and Calcutta. They were most environment-friendly because they ran on human power without the need for hydro-carbon fuels.

Oh! How wonderful were those good-old days!!