Kolkata to bid adieu to more than half of iconic yellow taxis. Click to know reason
Kolkata to bid adieu to more than half of iconic yellow taxis. Click to know reason
The yellow Ambassador taxi, which was originally yellow-and-black, has long been emblematic of Kolkata, much like the Howrah Bridge and the Victoria Memorial. Nearly 4,500 of Kolkata’s fleet of 7,000 iconic yellow metered taxis will be removed from the roads this year due to exceeding their 15-year service limit.
In 2008, the Calcutta High Court established a ruling prohibiting commercial vehicles older than 15 years from operating on the roads of the city. Consequently, once a vehicle reaches this age threshold, the renewal of its permit and fitness certificate is not permitted, as clarified by a transport department official. It seems, this rule will have a disastrous impact on the yellow taxis in the city.
Yellow taxis have become almost synonymous with the transport scene in Kolkata. However, more than half of them will be off the roads this year as their legal commercial vehicle expiry has already been over.This action is poised to significantly alter the transportation landscape of the city.
The taxi industry in Kolkata has a rich history that dates back to 1908, when the fare was a mere 8 annas per mile. The introduction of the now-iconic yellow-and-black taxis in 1962, modified from Hindustan Motors’ Ambassadors by the Calcutta Taxi Association, quickly led to their reputation as the “king of the roads.”
Once, these yellow taxis were the only option for taxis in the city and enjoyed an unchallenged feat. However, the emergence of app-based taxis posed a clear threat to them.
A significant portion of the city’s remaining 7,000 yellow metered taxis, as of early 2024, consists of older vehicles. The state transport department has indicated that 4,493 of these taxis, representing 64%, are expected to be retired at various times throughout the year due to exceeding the 15-year service limit.
In addition to the 4,493 metered yellow cabs that are currently being retired, taxi operators have indicated that an additional 2,500 vehicles, primarily consisting of D and E series Ambassadors, are scheduled for decommissioning over the course of the next year. This will reduce the overall count of metered yellow cabs to fewer than 3,000.
Sanjeeb Roy, the joint secretary of the Bengal Taxi Association, underscored the financial challenges faced by taxi operators, pointing out the substantial expenses involved in purchasing new BS VI-compliant vehicles, which now exceed Rs 8 lakh.
