Trams in Nasik – Truth or Hoax???

Photo: Bathing Ghat, Godavari River (Nasik – 1924)

 I happened to visit my home town Kolkata last year and any journey without a tram ride would be incomplete. Few days ago when I was recollecting on Kolkata tram ride, the nostalgia grew on me and I began to research more about the history of trams in India. I typed the words “Trams in India” on Google and what I discovered left me shocked.

Did You Know: Our own city Nasik had a tramway till the 1930’s!!!

The British occupied Nasik towards the second decade of 19 century. In 1818, the Nasik district area completely came under British rule. Nasik was given the status of a town and municipal council was established in 1865. Even in this period Nasik continued to be a religious centre. Brahmin community of Nasik was very influential. The British administration on many occasions had to bow to the wishes of Brahmin community. Construction of Railway line joining Mumbai was the most significant development of the 19-century. But Brahmins opposed its entry into Nasik city on religious grounds. Finally the railway line was realigned to a distance of 10 km from city and the station was named as Nasik Road (1865). The stretch between Nasik and Nasik Road was covered with dense jungle; the only mode of transport from the station to the city was by horse-drawn carriage.

Photo: The first horse-drawn tram (Kolkata – 1880)

Everard Richard Calthrop (1857 –1927) was a British railway engineer and inventor. Calthrop was a notable promoter and builder of narrow gauge railways, especially of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. In 1882 he went to India to join the Great Indian Peninsula Railway as a locomotive inspector. Once in India, Calthrop came to see narrow gauge railways as a way to help develop the country.

Calthrop requested leave in 1886 to investigate proposals for independent branch lines. He identified two schemes of particular interest, a 5-mile (8.0 km) tramway connecting the Hindu religious centre of Nasik with the railway, and a 21-mile (34 km) branch line to the town of Barsi.

Photo :  Early horse-drawn trams in India (similar to Nasik)

The Great Indian Peninsula Railway approved both schemes, and Calthrop undertook a survey of both lines. In 1887 he registered the Indian Railways Feeder Lines Company in London to promote the construction of feeders to the railway. The Great Indian Peninsula Railway suggested that he either returned to his duties as a locomotive inspector, or, with their support, resign to further promote branch lines. His health was failing, and so in 1889 Calthrop resigned from the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Working as a consultant he then supervised the construction of the 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge horse-powered Nasik Tram.

This tramway was constructed in 1889 with a capital of 1 lakh rupees. Originally, the tramway used two carriages pulled by four horses.  It originated from what is now the Old Municipal Corporation building located on Main Road, and terminated at the Nasik Road railway station (a distance of around 8–10 km). It is said to pass through areas of Ganjamal (the now defunct bus stop was earlier a tram stop) and behind the Fame Multiplex. Brady’s; a private company funded the project and later introduced India’s first petrol engine driven tram under the aegis of Nasik Tramway Co. The tramway closed down in around 1933 owing to the successive years of famine and plague, it had run into heavy losses.

Photo : Tram passing through a residential area. (Year Unknown) 

Other Indian cities which had tram services:

 Kolkata          (24 February 1873-present)

 Mumbai          (9 May 1874 - 31 March 1964)

 Delhi               (6 March 1908 - 1963)

 Chennai           (7 May 1895 - 12 April 1953)

 Kanpur            (June 1907 - 16 May 1933)

 & Patna           (unknown – 1903)

Sources: wikipedia.org and other websites.