Sun Sep 21 03:28:30 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article:
**Summary:**
To celebrate the upcoming Durga Puja season, Tramjatra, an organization dedicated to preserving Kolkata’s tram system, is hosting a special tram ride for 50 schoolchildren from the Sundarbans. The event, titled “Sharadiya Tramjatra,” aims to raise awareness about the tram’s environmental benefits and its potential role in combating climate change, particularly concerning the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. Despite the tram’s dwindling presence in Kolkata, organizers hope to instill a sense of appreciation for sustainable transportation among the children and the public, highlighting the link between the tram’s survival and the health of the Sundarbans.
**News Article:**
**Sundarban Children to Ride Kolkata Tram, Highlighting Climate Change Connection**
**Kolkata, India – September 21, 2025** – Fifty schoolchildren from the Sundarbans region are set to embark on a unique Durga Puja celebration this Sunday: a special tram ride through Kolkata aimed at raising awareness about climate change and the importance of sustainable transportation.
The event, dubbed “Sharadiya Tramjatra,” is organized by Tramjatra, a collaborative effort between tram enthusiasts from Kolkata and Melbourne dedicated to preserving Kolkata’s historic tram system. The ride will begin and end at the Gariahat depot, traversing through Esplanade and Shyam Bazar.
“The health of the Sundarbans and the future of its people depend on both mangrove roots and tram routes,” said filmmaker Mahadeb Shi, co-founder of Tramjatra. “This ceremonial journey on the auspicious occasion of Mahalaya is driven by friendship and a shared commitment to survival and sustainability.”
Organizers aim to highlight the tram’s environmental benefits as a low-emission mode of transport, crucial in combating the effects of global warming that threaten the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. The students, from Bijoynagar Adarsha Vidyamandir in Gosaba, will share their experiences during the journey. Notable attendees are expected to include filmmaker Goutam Ghosh and environmentalist Umashankar Mondal.
The event is particularly poignant given the Kolkata tram’s near extinction. The West Bengal government views the tram as an impediment to traffic, leading to the closure of most routes. Only two routes remain operational, and the tram’s future hinges on court intervention.
Indranil Banerjee of the Calcutta Tram Users’ Association highlighted the significance of the event for the children. “These children have never seen or traveled in the tram. We hope to create awareness among them about the benefits of a system like the tram, and that they go back home and tell their people how electric vehicles are good for the environment,” he said.
Tramjatra hopes that this event, much like their “Sundarban Tramjatra” earlier this year, will reignite public interest in the tram and emphasize its role in a clean, green, and climate-safe future. This special journey of heritage and hope is a reminder to the people of Kolkata of the importance of environmental responsibility.
First Piper 