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'Part Of Cultural Heritage': Calcutta High Court Directs Restoration Of Tram Tracks Which Were Illegally Bituminised
Srinjoy Das
14 Jan 2025 4:50 PM
The Calcutta High Court has directed the restoration of tram tracks which were illegally bituminised in Kolkata upon observing that the tram system forms part of the city's cultural heritage.A division bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya recalled an earlier order which set up a committee comprising conservationists, activists and experts in order...
The Calcutta High Court has directed the restoration of tram tracks which were illegally bituminised in Kolkata upon observing that the tram system forms part of the city's cultural heritage.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya recalled an earlier order which set up a committee comprising conservationists, activists and experts in order to preserve the city's tram system. Court noted that it had been clarified that in the meantime, till the committee found a solution, tram tracks should not be bituminised. It held:
"Surprisingly in the minutes of the meeting, it was stated that two complaints had been made to the Kolkata Police enquiring about who had done the bituminization. It is very hard to believe that this was done by miscreants on a busy public road under the public gaze and that the authorities concerned were oblivious to what was happening. Since the report shows that there was no direction for bituminzation, we direct that those tram tracks which were illegally bituminised be restored and a report be filed in this regard supported with photographs."
"The committee shall continue to meet and abide by the stand of the WBTC that the order of this court will be followed in entirety. The reason for the order of the court is that trams are a part of the cultural ethos of the city of Kolkata and to our knowledge in no other city in the country, trams are being operated. Dismantling and closing down the services is an easy task, but nonetheless the respondent being a welfare state should also bear in mind to preserve the cultural heritage of the state," it added.
Case: SULAGNA MUKHERJEE VS DR. SAUMITRA MOHAN PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TRANSPORT DEPT. AND ORS
Case No: CPAN/1406/2024