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| The trams, left, are a major draw for tourists, though most transportation in the city is through buses - more double decker than single floor and of course the metro |
A look at Kolkata's trams and you have to weep. Given that they are the only extant ones in India, Indian mind automatically associates the word tram with adjectives such as decrepit, decaying, old... But the British left the same legacy for another eastern city, Hongkong. And the trams of Hongkong are still pristine, and a pride of the city.
Over a hundred years old, they are still widely used on Hongkong island, and are not just a tourist attraction, though of course tourists love them. The lines are limited, though there has been an extension to Happy Valley. The government has constantly seen it fit to update the services and they are today a modern transport system, even if some on purpose retain an old world look
Gaily painted today with all kinds of advertising labels, they are really wonderful advertisments for the city's vibrancy.
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