London-like Kolkata

Many keep asking me why I have stopped writing about Kolkata. Well, Kolkata has been my Love and one doesn't feel like writing about her unless there is some affirmative thoughts. Of late, she has been the cause of concern, there has been a certain hopelessness and frustrating disquiet about her which kept me silent. She has been the butt of jokes ever since it had been announced that she was going to become 'our London' some years back. It was a tall demand according to some, and an unhealthy, unfair one according to most.
As far as civic amenities are concerned, we still fall behind many of the preferred metropolitan cities. However, the effort is on, to smarten up and to provide Kolkatans with some of the much needed facilities. One such proposed London-like facility excites me. It's the promise of an integrated transport card, in a bid to encourage commuting by public transport and to thereby ease congestion on the city streets. The proposed Kolkata Transport Card would be on the lines of London's Oyster card, and it will be valid on all mass transport modes: private and state buses, trams, ferries and the metro-rail. The transport department has already started working on the integrated fare management and ticketing system. Let's look forward to this in the year 2016.