Sundarbans Students Take Tram Ride to Highlight Global Warming

Fast Summary

• Event: A special tram ride called “Sharadiya Tramjatra” will be conducted in Kolkata on Sunday,September 21,2025.
• Participants: 50 schoolchildren from Sundarbans (Bijoynagar Adarsha Vidyamandir, Gosaba) will ride the tram to gain awareness about sustainability and environmental issues.
• Timing & Route: the ride starts at 10:30 a.m. from Gariahat Depot, covering Esplanade and Shyam Bazar before returning to Gariahat Depot.
• Purpose: raise awareness about trams as eco-friendly transport and their role in combating global warming that affects both Kolkata and Sundarbans’ mangroves.
• Organizers: Event is hosted by Tramjatra (a tram carnival started in 1996 by Melbourne and Kolkata enthusiasts). co-founder Filmmaker Mahadeb Shi emphasizes the importance of weaving climate action with heritage preservation.
• Special Guests: Filmmaker Goutam Ghosh and conservationist “Mangrove Man” Umashankar Mondal are expected attendees.
• Background on Trams:

– The Kolkata tram has a history spanning over 150 years but faces near extinction due to government neglect.- Current operational routes are limited to Esplanade-Gariahat and Esplanade-Shyam Bazar; legal battles now decide its future.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The “Sharadiya Tramjatra” event holds symbolic value for both environmental advocacy and heritage preservation efforts in India. Highlighting trams’ contribution as an eco-friendly mode of transport serves not only as an education initiative but also touches on broader concerns regarding India’s fight against climate change.

The collaboration between children hailing from the Sundarbans-a region witnessing firsthand damage due to global warming-and urban Kolkata residents underscores shared accountability for ecological preservation across diverse landscapes. This event spotlights how public engagement can be pivotal in fostering environmental consciousness while celebrating cultural heritage.

However, the precarious status of Kolkata’s iconic trams reveals deeper systemic negligence toward lasting urban development models in India-a challenge needing urgent policy prioritization. Bringing such initiatives into public discourse represents an opportunity for local governments to reassess infrastructure planning through green lenses while nurturing existing assets like historical transportation systems.

Read more at The Hindu.