Gurugram museum to showcase an antique Kolkata tram
The Heritage Transport Museum in Gurugram will showcase one of the 12 antique Kolkata trams that were put on sale by the West Bengal State Transport Corporation. The first tram has been sold to a Chandigarh bidder, who reportedly wants to refurbish it into a restaurant. The wooden tram, no longer in working order, would be restored before getting displayed.
West Bengal State Transport Corporation is selling off its antique trams. According to the last count WBSTC possessed some 269 tram cars. Of these at least 50 are antique, wooden models and most are no longer in working order. Out of these the corporation has short listed some 12 trams for sale. The first tram has been sold to a bidder from Chandigarh, who reportedly wants to refurbish it into a restaurant. Earlier in teh day a second tram was sold to the heritage Transport Museum in Manesar, Gurgaon.An official of the department said that WBSTC has some 130-140 trams in working order. However only about 80-90 trams are pressed into service daily as tram routes have shrunk and the ongoing metro work has also hampered operations in a few routes.The Heritage Transport Museum in Manesar is a private museum that showcases the evolution of transportation in India. It is situated off the NH 8 at Tauru-Gurgaon. It has a built up area of over 90,000 square feet of air conditioned space spread over four floors.The displays include pre mechanised transportation. A car gallery features over 75 models of classic cars. Innovative Indian transports like the famous 'jugaad' - basically a water pump powering a four wheeled platform find a place beside two wheelers - both bikes and scooters of vintage flavour. They have restored a 1930s railway saloon from the erstwhile Bombay Baroda and Central India (BBCI) Railway. The wooden tram, once restored would find its place amongst the array of historical collection section of transportation.Also read: