Mumbai's Kaali-Peeli taxis reach the end of a 60-year journey

In the 1970s, the model was rebranded as “Premier President” and subsequently as “Premier Padmini”, after the renowned Indian queen Padmini.

The iconic 'Kaali-Peeli' taxis that have lived through the ages to be synonymous with Mumbai are set to go off the roads from October 30. From Bollywood to business, the Premier Padmini four-wheelers have been integral to the life in this city for the last six decades, and now they are past their 20s - the age set by the authorities for cars plying on the street.

The Kaali-Peelis are hitting the exit route soon after another Mumbai speciality - the legendary red BEST double-decker buses - went down on September 15.

Read | Mumbai bids adieu to its iconic red double-decker buses

The Mumbai transport department had set a cap of 20 years on the age of the black-and-yellow taxis. According to a PTI report quoting a transport department official, the last Premier Padmini was registered at the Tardeo RTO on October 29, 2003.

Abdul Kareem Karsekar, a Prabhadevi resident, who owns the last registered Premier Padmini taxi of Mumbai said, "Yeh Mumbai ki shaan hai aur hamari jaan hai (it is the pride for Mumbai and life for me)."

Karsekar said it is difficult to maintain the vehicle due to unavailability of spare parts, but he still wants to preserve his cab at own expense, if the government permits.

The Journey

Mumbai Taximen Union General Secretary AL Quadros recalled that Premier Padmini’s journey as a taxi began in 1964 with the ‘Fiat-1100 Delight'. It was small compared to the “big taxis” like the Plymouth, Landmaster, Dodge, and Fiat 1100 that used to ply those days.

In the 1970s, the model was rebranded as 'Premier President' and subsequently as 'Premier Padmini' after the renowned Indian queen Rani Padmini.

After that, the taxi which was manufactured by Premier Automobile Limit (PAL) never went through a name change until its production stopped in 2001.

Mumbai and Kolkata would get 25-30 Fiat-1100D or Ambassador cars as taxis every second month, Quadros said. “The government had set the quota for two cities, but cabbies of Mumbai were reluctant to buy Ambassador and the same was the case with Fiat in Kolkata. Therefore, the union got the quota exchanged with Kolkata and consequently, Mumbai got only Fiat taxis,” he said.

In 2008, the Maharashtra government set a 25-year age limit for cabs and then in 2013 brought it down to 20 years.

Part of Heritage and Cinema

The Kaali-Peelis were not just a mode of commute, but also an integral part of city's cultural heritage. They also featured in numerous Bollywood movies like Taxi No. 9211, Khaali-Peeli, and Aa Ab Laut Chale. In fact, in many old Bollywood films, Premier Padmini cars and double-decker buses would be shown as the beginning shot to establish Mumbai.

With PTI inputs