Hyderabad: After taking oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on May 9, Suvendu Adhikari chaired his first Cabinet meeting and announced several decisions, including the implementation of Central schemes in the State.
Against this backdrop, a video showing a decorated tram moving through the streets of Kolkata is being widely shared on social media. Users claim the visuals show the newly elected BJP government restarting tram services in the city.
In the viral clip, a brightly decorated tram is seen moving on tram tracks amid celebrations, with people travelling on board.
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Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral video does not show the BJP government resuming tram services in Kolkata. It is footage from a cultural event called 'Tramjatra.'
Video from Tramjatra event
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led us to an Instagram post shared on April 21, by trams_of_calcutta-the account of the Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA).
The caption of the post read, "The Baishakhi Tramjatra 2026 arrives at the Esplanade Terminus with all the three decorated trams one by one."
The visuals in the Instagram video match the viral clip.
This confirms that the video predates the formation of the BJP government in West Bengal.
What did CTUA say?
NewsMeter also contacted the Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA) for clarification.
The association stated that the viral video is from the 'Tramjatra' event organised during the Bengali New Year (Poila Boishakh) celebrations in Kolkata. According to the association, the event was organised as a heritage and public-awareness initiative celebrating Kolkata's tram culture and history.
CTUA clarified that the event was not linked to any official announcement regarding the full-scale restoration of tram services in Kolkata.
The association further stated that only limited tram operations currently remain functional in the city, with regular services restricted to a small section of the network. Over the years, most of Kolkata's historic tram routes have either been dismantled or suspended, and only two tram routes are presently operational.
Did BJP reopen closed tram services?
We searched for reports claiming that the BJP government in West Bengal had officially reopened tram routes in Kolkata. However, our search did not yield any reports or official announcements confirming such a move.
During the search, we found a Reuters report published on September 29, 2025, which stated that the West Bengal government planned to shut down the 152-year-old tram system while retaining only a short heritage route. The report noted that the decision had triggered a legal battle, with residents and heritage activists campaigning to preserve the tram network.
According to the Reuters report, only two tram routes currently remain operational in Kolkata, with a fleet of around 10 trams in service.
We found an India Today YouTube video uploaded on April 27 featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing an election rally in Barrackpore, West Bengal.
During the speech, PM Modi spoke about transforming Kolkata into a major manufacturing hub under the Make-in-India initiative and reviving struggling local industries. He also mentioned infrastructure development plans, including rapid expansion of the Kolkata Metro, preservation of the city's historic tram network and the introduction of electric buses to improve ease of living in the State.
The viral video does not depict any resumption of tram services by the current West Bengal government. It is footage from a cultural event being shared with a misleading claim.
Therefore, the claim is false.