Calcutta, Aug. 29 :    Calcutta, Aug. 29:  Alarmed at the depleting revenue collection, the Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) is working on a proposal to make up for the loss by introducing gold cards for those commuting by trams. The aim is to rope in more passengers as life members. According to official records, the CTC, which runs 180 tramcars daily on a 68-km stretch, incurs a loss of Rs 15 lakh a day. 'We earn a paltry sum of Rs 2.7 lakh a day from nearly 1.7-lakh commuters,' says CTC chairman-cum-managing director Sudhir De. The government has to provide a subsidy of Rs 4.7 crore every month, he admits. De feels gold cards will help the cash-hit company attract especially the aged, who prefer hassle-free rides. 'A gold card will entitle a passenger to travel in trams for the rest of his life,' De said. A proposal has been sent to the transport department for its approval. The gold cards will be pegged on the basis of a survey to be conducted soon, CTC officials said. Transport minister Subhas Chakraborty came up with the idea a few weeks ago at a meeting with CTC officials at Writers' Buildings. The minister told them that by introducing gold cards, the Society for Sports and Stadiums had wooed over a large number of sports-lovers as life members of the Salt Lake stadium, the officials added. 'The proposal will be ready by next month,' said Somesh Bhattacharya, chief project manager, operations. nMelbourne mela: The transport minister is likely to lead a delegation to Melbourne in October-November for the Tramjatra festival. It is part of the government's move to strengthen cultural ties between the two cities. Michael Douglas, curator of the Melbourne-Calcutta Tramways Friendship group project, is camping in the city to invite Chakraborty and others to the festival. 'We are looking forward to having over artists and CTC employees in Melbourne for a cultural celebration of trams,' Douglas said.