Kolkata, the city of joy, has yet again brought joyful news for the bibliophiles. The historic city which boasts of the country’s very first libraries has now a unique new place for reading.
In a bid to save the heritage of the long-standing city, the West Bengal Government has turned the good old trams to full-fledged libraries. The West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) on Thursday introduced the tram library in the city’s iconic College street area which will run on the Shyambazar-Esplanade route.
“It is a beautiful and small edition in Kolkata’s literary landscape,” said WBTC Managing Director Rajanvir Singh Kapur to Indian Express expressing happiness over the initiative.
Likewise, another official noted, “College Street area is home to the most iconic educational institutions of the City of Joy. To attract students and to reinvigorate the love for trams and reading, this has been introduced.”
Library on wheels. #WBTC launches maiden tram service in #Kolkata for students preparing for competitive exams. Currently a single 32-seater car to run between Shyambazar-Esplanade through College St, the service frequency could increase with popularity. @news18dotcom @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/u95Qjv16gQ
— Sougata Mukhopadhyay (@Sougata_Mukh) September 24, 2020
The first-of-its-kind library will have books, magazines, and special editions of various competitive examination books for its wide variety of readers. Moreover, the books in the library would be updated regularly, said an official.
Readers will also have access to free Wi-Fi while they hop into the tram library.
There are also plans to host events such as book launches and book reading sessions with a tram literature festival planned in November.
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The transport corporation is set to distribute free pens to all passengers in the inaugural week.
With the launch, the tram services have resumed on the Shyambazar-Esplanade route which had been damaged in Cyclone Amphan in May. There are six more tram routes running through the city.
All norms were being maintained to sanitize the trams to ensure the safety of passengers quoted the officials. Tramcars are being regularly disinfected before and after each shift, they added.
Trams and Kolkata sound very synonymous as over the years the public vehicle has bustled with travelers from every nook and corner. They are the oldest running electric trams in Asia which run exclusively in Kolkata in India. A few days back, the WBTC installed art in some trams, depicting how the services began in 1873 and were electrified in 1900 starting to run since 1902.
If you are visiting Kolkata for the first time, don’t forget to experience the Tram rides.