Remains of tram tracks found under BEST depot in south Mumbai

Discovery of tram tracks during road repair or infrastructure works is not new in south Mumbai.

Remains of tram tracks have been found underneath the Electric House depot of the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) in south Mumbai, officials said on Thursday.

Besides corroded iron tracks, a cement concrete structure, possibly a repairing bay, also resurfaced when pits were being dug for setting up charging stations for e-buses earlier this week.

"Colala depot was once used as a carshed for trams," a BEST official told PTI.

The concrete structure consists of a wall on one side and two lines of pillars on the other, resembling a repairing bay for trams or buses, he said.

Unfortunately, as the construction contractor was unaware of the significance of these remains, most of the concrete pillars were removed by the JCB excavator, the official said.

Discovery of tram tracks during road repair or infrastructure works is not new in south Mumbai.

In 2016, two parallel tram tracks were found when the road was dug up for concretisation near Hutatma Chowk-Flora Fountain.

Tram service was introduced in the island city of Mumbai in 1874, during the British era. Initially the trams were pulled by horses, which were replaced by electric engines in 1907.

The tram service finally shut down in 1964 while the local trains became the hallmark of Mumbai's transport system.

Incidentally, BEST, which operates a fleet of around 3,100 buses across Mumbai and the satellite towns surrounding it, is now inducting electric buses. The fleet now has around 400 e-buses.