The area earned its name from Major William Tolly - who in 1775-76 started a project to excavate and dredge the Adi Ganga also known as Tolly's Nullah. The Bengali Film Industry popularly called Tollywood is not far away and is beside the Tram Depot. The Metro Railway also intersects this line with its station called Rabindra Sarobar sharing the same station building. The Tollygunge station has a single elevated platform.