kolkata the tram network the citys oldest automotive transit system that has shrunk substantially over the last few years may have contracted further had not there been a concerted effort to save it while preparing a study for the eastwest metro project according to sources large parcels of land were required at dal housie and chowringhee for ma hakaran and esplanade stations respectively going by the linear route the project would have eaten into a large chunk of land in pos session of the calcutta tram company ctc had that been the case tram routes on lenin sarani kidderpore road and bb ganguly street would have been abolished for at least next four years but rites did a detailed study on the tram track so that no service gets disrupted during metro construction since eastwest metro would need land at curzon park where ctc has a large parking and route channelizing facility rites found some shifting and realigning of tram tracks will save it from complete disuse while the northern part of curzon park will be used for the underground esplanade station of eastwest metro tramlines will be realigned to the southern part similarly once the metros northern part work is complete the tram tracks will be shifted there will be a lot of tram track relaying at the curzon park but the problem was acute at dalhousie square kolkata metro rail corporation the implementing agency insisted on doing away with tram tracks at dalhousie for quick construction of the metro station on the eastern side of lal dighi however rites and kolkata police along with ctc fought hard for keeping tram operations alive at dalhousie said a transport department official rites proposed that kmrc first work at the site of dalhousie minibus stand so that trams can ply along the project site once the metro work at the stand is complete the tracks can be shifted on the east rites has also proposed a loop in front of bidhan market so that esplanadebound trams from kidderpore and kalighat can take a uturn to go back to kiddepore depotrites has proposed rs 20 crore as the estimated project cost for such realignment of tram tracks at these two spots closure of tram tracks along these routes would have been disastrous these are not only very popular but generate maximum revenue said ctc managing director nilanjan shandilya