The Karachi Tramway of Yesteryear

[khail007]

Maulana Hippie

I have traveled on these Trams many times,from my School Marie Colaco behind Naz Cinema to Plaza , or from Plaza to Juna Market and sometimes Boulton Market with my grandfather to buy Bachon ki duniya , Naunehal or Taleem-e-Tarbiyat monthelies , .... a little correction , its main workshop was between , what is today Rimpa Plaza and Gul Plaza , Maulana Ehtisham ul Haq Thanvi mosque was behind that .. , , at one time I even wanted to become a trams conductor , with their immaculate Dress and Ticket Bag they looked good.

The character-building material for kids, of the time with religion, culture and social values. IMO such quality will never return.

 

[ghazi52]

The Karachi Tramway of yesteryears.

There was a time when citizens of Pakistan were accustomed to seeing Trams running all over the Karachi City center. It was one of the most popular means of conveyance in the city center. Today, only a handful of photos, a few landmarks and memories of Trams remain.

If you talk to any body who has seen Karachi up to 1975, they will talk about the tramways in nostalgic terms. The network was closed down in 1975 after traffic congestion in Saddar area was causing lots of traffic accidents involving Trams as well as older trams were proving difficult to maintain. What happened to the rolling stock and infrastructure is anybody’s guess.

I couldn’t find any information on it. Growing up in Karachi however, I remember taking rides in Trams with my father as well as seeing the left over tram tracks which were left to rust in Saddar roads until 1980s

 

[ghazi52]

Karachi can try this......

 

[newb3e]

khi looked nice until Dha and their qabza mafia started destroying the city by protecting and supporting bhuttos and mqms!

 

[ghazi52]

1970

 

[ghazi52]

,.,.
"In 1881, James Strachan, an engineer and secretary of the Karachi Municipality, sent a proposal to run a tram in Karachi to London for approval. In 1883, the Bombay government approved it and in the same year, the Tramway Act was passed.

The tender for the tramway system was called for in Karachi and the tender of Edward Matthew of London was accepted on the ground that it had the lowest rate.

On April 20, 1885, Henry Erskine, the Commissioner of Sindh, inaugurated the tramway in Karachi. The tramway of Karachi was later bought by East India Company. The initial tram was run by coal engine.

Karachi was a quiet city at that time. Due to noise and environmental pollution caused by coal engine. Forced to do so, the government removed the coal engines and began tying the horses Hawa-Saeed Manzil (near NJV School) A horse stable was set up in which 210 horses were kept.

Tram workshop was set up at Rampa Plaza (where Gul Plaza is now a shopping center). And there were two-storied trams. For one-storied trams, one horse was tied, and for two-storied, two horses were tied. Horses would be exchanged after two miles from Soldier Bazaar to Kemari. The distance from Soldier Bazaar to Kemari is five miles, so proper arrangements were made to keep the horses safe from the heat.
Author: Gul Hassan Kalmati...

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[ghazi52]

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[ghazi52]

Karachi Saddar , Singer chowk...

 

[ghazi52]

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MTC -Mohamad Ali Tramway Company.. Karachi ..

Karachi Saddar Terminal ...

 

[ghazi52]

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Here are the tram cars parked on a terminal on Bunder Road (M. A. Jinnah) road, Karachi, Previous Model ..

This used to be called Tram Godee in those days. Trams used to run from Saddar to Cantt. station, from Saddar to soldier bazar, from Saddar to Boulton market, from Boulton market to Keamari, from Boulton market to Gandhi garden and from Boulton market to Chakiwara.
Aatta hay yaad mujh ko woh guzra hua zamana, when Karachi used to be beautiful, clean and safe city...

1955

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Another Model ....