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Kolkata’s Yellow Taxis: An Iconic Legacy on the Brink of Extinction

As of August 2024, over 5,000 yellow Ambassador taxis have already been retired, and by 2027, most of the remaining fleet is expected to vanish.

Kolkata’s Yellow Taxis: An Iconic Legacy on the Brink of Extinction

Kolkata's iconic yellow taxi. Image courtesy: Anit Ghosh

By March 2025, over 64% of Kolkata's iconic yellow taxis will disappear from the roads due to the 15-year service limit imposed by the West Bengal transport department.

Out of the approximately 7,000 registered yellow taxis in the state, around 4,500 will be retired under pollution control norms, which prohibit vehicles older than 15 years from operating.

These yellow taxis, all Ambassador models, were manufactured by Hindustan Motors Limited (HML) at their Hindmotor plant in Hooghly. However, with the Ambassador no longer in production, replacing these taxis with identical models is impossible.

The exact year when yellow taxis first began operating in Kolkata remains uncertain, though some records suggest 1908, with fares set at 50 paise per mile.

By 1962, the Calcutta Taxi Association officially adopted the Ambassador as the standard taxi model. Yellow was chosen for its visibility, even in low light, making it a practical choice for Kolkata’s bustling streets.

Since then, the yellow Ambassador taxis have become synonymous with the city, featured prominently in films like Satyajit Ray's Calcutta Trilogy (1970s), Aparna Sen's 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981), and Vidya Balan's Kahaani (2012).

However, the decline of this cultural icon began in 2009 when the Supreme Court mandated the scrapping of commercial vehicles over 15 years old. Following this ruling, over 10,000 taxi drivers upgraded their vehicles to newer Ambassador models.

Yet, subsequent developments, including the introduction of Maruti Swift Dzire as taxis in 2013 and the cessation of Ambassador production in 2015, signalled the gradual phasing out of the yellow taxis.

As of August 2024, over 5,000 yellow Ambassador taxis have already been retired, and by 2027, most of the remaining fleet is expected to vanish. Rising fuel costs and expensive maintenance have rendered the Ambassador unviable for many operators.

App-based cab services, offering greater convenience and competitive pricing, have further diminished the appeal of yellow taxis. Additionally, stagnant taxi fares since 2013 have forced many drivers to abandon metered fares, further alienating customers.

Efforts are underway to preserve the legacy of the yellow taxis, which are considered one of Kolkata’s most enduring symbols alongside the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, rasgullas, Eden Gardens and trams.

On December 19, taxi unions and associations staged protests at Sealdah, calling for government intervention to save the taxis from extinction.

Naval Kishore Shrivastava, convener of the AITUC-affiliated West Bengal Taxi Operators Coordination Committee, suggested allowing taxi owners to buy new vehicles at subsidized rates and paint them yellow. While these vehicles might not be Ambassadors, they could continue the tradition of yellow taxis in Kolkata.

Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty had acknowledged the inevitability of phasing out older vehicles but expressed willingness to support unions seeking a review of the Supreme Court ruling.

While this transition is inevitable, he claimed that the government remains committed to preserving the legacy of yellow taxis in some form.

As Kolkata prepares to bid farewell to the Ambassador taxis, the loss is deeply felt by many who see them as an inseparable part of the city’s heritage. The disappearance of the yellow taxis marks the end of an era, leaving Kolkata grappling with how to preserve a piece of its cultural identity amidst modernization.

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