- The iconic yellow taxis are synonymous with Hindustan Ambassador and Kolkata.
In an attempt to revive the iconic yellow taxis in Kolkata, which have been dwindling in numbers over the last few years, the West Bengal government has joined hands wth a private company to launch a fleet of 20 yellow cabs. However, unlike the iconic Hindustan Ambassadors that have become synonymous with the yellow taxis of Kolkata, these new yellow cabs are Maruti Suzuki WagonR models.
The new fleet of yellow taxis based on the Maruti Suzuki WagonR models comes at a time when the Hindustan Ambassador-based yellow taxis are facing extinction owing to various reasons. The rapid emergence of ride-hailing app-based cab services has forced the shrinking of the number of Ambassador-based yellow taxis, which lack the modern vehicular features such as air conditioning systems. Besides that, the overage of the diesel-run HM Ambassadors has also impacted the operations of these yellow taxis.
Also Read : Upcoming cars in India
The development comes in the wake of the imminent phasing out of yellow taxis as per the Calcutta High Court’s order in 2009. The High Court order mandated that commercial vehicles older than 15 years would not be allowed to ply in the Kolkata and Howrah under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) area. Less than 2,000 metered yellow taxis based on Ambassador will be on the roads by the end of 2025, down from 20,000 even three years back. After 2027-28, all the old yellow taxis will stop plying.
The new Maruti Suzuki WagonR yellow taxis have been christened as Yellow Heritage Cabs. The hatchbacks were flagged off by the West Bengal Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty. News agency PTI has quoted one transport department official stating that 3,000 such cabs will hit the streets in two months. These new yellow taxis come with modern features that are not available in the HM Ambassadors.
The WagonR-based yellow taxis will run on petrol and CNG fuels. They can be booked with the Yatri Sathi app launched by the West Bengal government.
Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.
First Published Date: 02 Mar 2025, 14:52 PM IST
#fleet #yellow #taxis #hit #Kolkata #streets #ageing #Hindustan #Ambassadors #face #extinction
Source link