The Kolkata Tram System, is a tram system that serves Kolkata, the capital city of the Indian state of West Bengal, operated by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) after Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) was merged with WBTC.

With the help of periodic negligence, the Government of West Bengal (current operators) had formed systematic initiatives to suspend the entire tram network from the city and sell properties.

[5] The network initially had up to 37 lines in the 1960s,[6] but has gradually reduced over the years with only two lines currently operating due to financial struggles, poor maintenance, low ridership, addition of road flyovers, expansion of the Kolkata Metro, slow tram speed and perceptions that the trams are outdated and occupy too much road space.

The first horse-drawn trams in India ran for 2.4 miles (3.9 km) between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street on 24 February 1873.

Meter-gauge horse-drawn tram tracks were laid from Sealdah to Armenian Ghat via Bowbazar Street, Dalhousie Square, and Strand Road.

[2] At first, it was planned to open tram network in three directions – in north towards Kumartuli via Chitpur Road (now Rabindra Sarani) for easy transportation of then-rich Indians, middle-classes and poor who lived in those areas, in the east towards Sealdah stations via Bowbazar Street (now Bipin Bihari Gangopadhay Street) for railway passengers' interchange who come from outside of Kolkata, and in the south towards Kalighat via Russa Road (now Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay Road) because not only for easy transportation of then-rich Indians, middle-classes and poor who lived at those areas but also as a Hindu pilgrimage regarding Kali temple for inhabitants and tourists.

Besides this the city center connection between Dharmatala (now known as Esplanade) & Dalhousie Square (now known as Binay Badal Dinesh Bag) was also established via Old Court House Street (now Hemanta Basu Sarani).

[7] By opening those routes, Shyambazar, High Court, Nimtala, Sealdah, Dalhousie Square, Dharmatala and Kalighat area was connected by horse tram.

By the end of the century, the company owned 166 tram cars, 1,000 horses, seven steam locomotives, and 19 miles of track.

Bagbazar tram terminus was at that place where now a lorry parking area beside the circular railway track.

A branch up to Mominpur was also opened from Wattganj via Diamond Harbour Road, but at that time direct access was constructed through Orphanganjbazar.

In the next year, the direct access of the Behala line via Orphanganjbazar was replaced by present alignment via Wattganj junction for smooth tram service.

[7] A new terminus near Racecourse was constructed in next year for race special trams towards Belgachhia, Bagbazar, Galiff Street, Rajabazar, High Court, Nimtala, Park Circus, Tollygunge, Behala & Khidirpur.

The government assumed the tramways, reserving the right to purchase the system with two years' notice on 1 January 1972 or at any time thereafter.

[2] After Independence, during the partition of India, the number of people started dramatically increasing on the roads of Kolkata due to a lot of refugees.

The city centre area started getting congested due to the increasing number of buses and cars.

Until that time, it was the golden age of Kolkata, with maximum number of rolling stocks, route kilometers and passengers.

But surprisingly, car and bus drivers started blaming the tram, which was fueled by political leaders.

On 8 November 1976, the Calcutta Tramways (Acquisition of Undertaking) ordinance was promulgated under which the company (and its assets) was nationalized.

[7] Two years later, Nimtala route along Companybagan (now Rabindra Kanan) section was closed in May 1973, and the Howrah Station terminus redesigning completed in 1976.

[2] However, tram service was survived in Kolkata, largely supported by then transport minister Rabin Mukherjee, and also due to high rise of oil prices in the international market, which make costly for automobiles.

This closed section was partially reopened in the next year between Planetarium and Esplanade due to protests of passengers, tourists, and hawkers.

Tram tracks from Howrah Bridge terminus to Metcalf Hall was also closed due to excuse of road repair, and all routes which were served this section was now diverted via Rabindra Sarani.

When D'Andrea heard about the planned network closure, he suggested an art project to decorate the trams (as was done in his home city).

[11] It was early planned to relaying tram tracks on two sides of the road under the overpass, but it was finally cancelled because of then Mayor Subrata Mukherjee.

In 2004, state government decided to deserved all grass-bed reserved tracks from tram only operation, and replace it by concrete bed.

In 2008, Binay Badal Dinesh Bag terminus was largely redesigned for construction of underground car parking.

After the starting of the line 2 of Kolkata metro in 2017, all the Binay Badal Dinesh Bag bound tram routes have been closed for an indefinite time.

Two trams were recently renovated with front and back glass, fluorescent lights, FM radio, digital display boards, angled seats, and a fibreglass ceiling.

With plans for banquet-cafeteria[18] and air-conditioned trams to attract commuters and foreign tourists (increasing CTC revenue), a single-coach, air-conditioned banquet tram has been introduced for heritage tours of North Kolkata in the morning and South Kolkata in the evening.