Calcutta is set to have colour-coded tram routes, like the Granton tram network of Edinburgh, from February.

“The colours to be assigned to the various routes include pink, red, yellow, violet, blue and green. The scheme will be launched in February,” said an official of the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC).

According to the plan, trams with pink stripes will run on routes 24 and 29, between Tollygunge and Ballygunge station via Tollygunge Club, Lake Market and Hindustan Park.

Trams with yellow stripes will connect Gairahat with Esplanade via Ice Skating Rink, Quest Mall, Nonapukur, Ripon Street, Wellington crossing and Chandni Chowk.

The red line will pass through College Street, while the green line will connect the Howrah bridge with Rajabazar.

The violet route will cover central Calcutta and the blue line will connect Esplanade with Kidderpore, via the Maidan. “For easy identification, tramcars will have colour stripes on the top. There won't be any shortage of tramcars on any route even if one develops a snag,” said an official of the WBTC. “Those who will buy a ‘Trampass’ will be given a pocket map on tram routes.”

The Trampass is an all-in-one day-ticket that allows a commuter to travel on all trams, including air-conditioned ones, at Rs 100 a day. The pass offers a free ride on Paat Rani, a heritage tram displaying jute products, which otherwise costs Rs 99. It also allows a free entry into Tram World Calcutta, a museum on trams set up in Gariahat to commemorate 140 years of the tram operations by the Calcutta Tramways Company, which was registered in London on December 22, 1880.

“This is part of our endeavours to try and revive love for trams in Calcutta,” said Rajanvir Singh Kapur, the managing director of WBTC.

The West Bengal Transport Corporation, which runs on subsidy from the state government, has of late been trying to popularise trams.

Apart from rolling out AC trams on select routes, the transport department has recently opened an art gallery on a tram and a library on wheels.

Trams, an environment-friendly mode of transport, started their journey in Calcutta in 1873 with horses drawing them. In 1902, the first electric tram began its service in the city.