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Heritage tour on vintage cars for Kolkata’s senior citizens this Valentine week
This is for the first time that a heritage tour on vintage cars has been organized in Kolkata for senior citizens.
Elderly couples or even single senior citizens in Kolkata may celebrate this Valentine week in a unique way – taking a heritage tour of the City of Joy in a vintage car. And it’s free.
“This is for the first time that a heritage tour on vintage cars, some of them near a century old, has been organized in the city for senior citizens. The minimum age has to be 75 years. One can apply online and it would be a first come first serve basis,” said Prabir Roy, managing committee member of the Automobile Association of Eastern India.
Every day at least seven to eight vintage and classic cars would take the participants on a heritage tour lasting for a few hours. The list of cars includes a 108-year-old Gebrüder Stoewer, a 99-year-old 12/4 Austin Tourer, a 1923-built Panther Sloper, a 1928-built Auburn 6-80, and the rare ones such as Morris 8, Rolls Royce Phantom-III and Mercedes Benz 260 Stuttgart among others.
“As the cars are very old and we would be virtually bringing them out of their ventilation, so it won’t be possible for us to say which cars would be available on a given day. It would depend on availability,” said Arindam Saha, general secretary of AAEI.
The journey would kick off from the AAEI’s office in south Kolkata and touch upon some of the heritage buildings such as Netaji Bhavan, Jorasanko Thakur Bari and go right up to Dakshineswar Kali Temple. As the cars are very old, they would move at an average speed of 15-20 km per hour. Each trip would last for three to four hours.
“We would allow only two persons in a car. So it could be either an elderly couple or two single senior citizens. One has to apply online and reach our office. The participant would be also provided lunch at the end,” said Roy.
Even though Covid-19 cases have dropped in the city, the organisers said that the cars would be thoroughly sanitized before the trip. One has to wear a mask and bring a sanitizer.
Valentine Day falls on February 14 and the entire week is celebrated as Valentine week with a name for each day such as Rose Day, Propose Day and Chocolate Day among others.
“Even though it is the young generation who celebrate the Valentine Day and the week with much fervour, we thought of organizing this unique tour for senior citizens who are mostly confined to their homes and are often lonely. It may rekindle the old memories,” said Saha.
The programme began with a vintage and classic car rally on Sunday. The heritage tour starts from Monday and will end with Valentine’s Day next Sunday.
While a vintage car is one which was manufactured before 1939, those built after 1940 are called classic cars.
