When you think of Kolkata, a lot of things would come into mind- Howrah bridge, the colonial architecture and the iconic Yellow taxis. Yellow-painted Ambassador cabs have been the face of this city for long. With the stringent policies of modern times, these are being retired. Over 64% of the current fleet will meet their ends this month. In another couple of years, Yellow Ambassadors will completely disappear from the Kolkata roads. However, the latest news reveals that Yellow taxis are to make a return with a modern twist. New Yellow-painted Maruti Suzuki WagonRs are now being inducted as cabs by the West Bengal government in association with a private company- NA Mobility, as 'Heritage Cabs'.
Kolkata's Heritage Cabs: What Are They?
At present, 20 Maruti WagonRs have been rolled out, finished in the iconic Yellow paint of the bygone era's Ambassadors. Additionally, they get decals denoting Kolkata's key attractions like Howrah Bridge and Victoria Memorial. Being modern cars, these would also feature airbags and seat belts along with air conditioning. They would run on CNG-petrol dual fuel, and will thus be greener.
However, like the Yellow Ambassadors of the past, these also get illuminated 'TAXI' boards mounted on top of them.
The Heritage Cabs work based on app-based bookings. You can hire these through the government's 'Yatri Sathi’ app. All these cabs will be driven by experienced drivers who likely owned Yellow Ambassadors in the past.
The government plans to roll out as many as 150 Yellow WagonR Heritage cabs over the next few months. The number is expected to reach 1000 by the end of this year.
Many of the OG Yellow cabbies consider themselves to be part of the city's rich heritage (which they are) and the new vehicles will likely boost their pride and confidence along with invoking nostalgia for travellers.
NA Mobility's New Business Model
This company's business model would sound fairly new and unexplored. It has tied up with Maruti Suzuki to buy cars in lots and then rent these out to drivers. These drivers will need to pay daily rents to the company, but are saved from having to invest upfront (or in EMIs) for acquisition.
Kolkata's Own Yatri Sathi App
The Kolkata government announced the launch of 'Yatri Sathi' mobile application in 2023, together with the Department of Information Technology & Electronics. It was aimed at bringing all the Yellow Taxis (Peeli Taxi) of Kolkata under one umbrella application. This development was also a response to the increasing popularity enjoyed by cab hailing apps like Uber and OLA.
Passengers would also benefit from app-based bookings as no surge charge, no commission or middlemen were involved. 2023 was also a time when the number of Yellow (Ambassador) taxis was dwindling, and the application was rumoured to be a saviour to these.
As it turns out, the Yatri Sathi app has risen to popularity in West Bengal, and drives good numbers in terms of daily bookings.
Kolkata's Yellow Taxi: A Quick Throwback
The Yellow Ambassadors, their bright paint, chatty drivers and the sharp turns they make, are all part of the city's rich heritage. The first taxis were introduced in 1908, and back then, used to charge 8 annas (1 anna was roughly 6 paise) per mile. Hindustan Ambassador became the face of Kolkata Taxis in 1962 after the Calcutta Taxi Association declared it as the standard model. The sedan retained this position for the decades that followed.
It was decided to paint the Taxis in Kolkata Yellow for improved visibility after sunset. Decades later, came the digital era and app-based cab hailing. This eventually led to the downfall of these metered taxis. Government policies and pollution regulations further meant that these would have to be retired sooner than expected.
Hindustan Motors' (HM) downfall further meant that there would not be a successor or replacement to the Ambassadors. It is thus time to make a shift to modern (and safer) alternatives, and cherish these original 'Peeli Taxi' in just memories...