.jpg)
Mumbai's iconic 'Premier Padmini' taxis, fondly known as "Kaali Peeli," have bid farewell to the city's streets after a remarkable six-decade-long run. The decision to retire the city's famous double-decker buses powered by diesel and paint them black and yellow coincided with the decision to remove these cabs from service. This change was due to the end of their 15-year operational life.
A Tribute from Anand Mahindra
Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, paid tribute to the iconic Premier Padmini Taxis. He acknowledged that, although these taxis were known for being clunky, uncomfortable, and noisy, they held a treasure trove of memories for many people.
In a social media post, he wrote, "From today, the iconic Premier Padmini Taxi vanishes from Mumbai’s roads. They were clunkers, uncomfortable, unreliable, noisy. Not much baggage capacity either. But for people of my vintage, they carried tons of memories. And they did their job of getting us from point A to point B. Goodbye and alvida, kaali-peeli taxis. Thank you for the good times…"
Why Premier Padmini Taxis Were Retired
The last Premier Padmini taxi was registered as a black-and-yellow cab on October 29, 2003. However, since the city's age limit for cabs is set at 20 years, Mumbai will officially no longer have a Premier Padmini taxi on its roads.
Premier Padmini's Iconic Journey
The journey of the Premier Padmini taxis began in 1964 with the model 'Fiat-1100 Delight,' a compact and powerful 1200-cc car with a steering-mounted gear shifter. Over the years, this model went through several name changes and was eventually named "Premier Padmini" in honor of the renowned Indian queen Padmini. Unfortunately, production ceased in 2001.
In the 1960s, Mumbai and Kolkata received Fiat-1100D and Ambassador cars as taxis every other month. Premier Padminis were popular among cabbies due to their smaller size, reliable engines, easy maintenance, and comfortable interiors. However, when production stopped, a lack of spare parts became a significant problem, leading taxis to adopt different models, such as Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai hatchbacks.
Premier Padmini and Its Bollywood Connection
Premier Padmini taxis weren't just a mode of transportation; they became a part of Mumbai's cultural heritage by appearing in several Bollywood movies, including 'Taxi No. 9211,' 'Khaali-Peeli,' and 'Aa Ab Laut Chale.'
The Story Behind the Kaali-Peeli Color Scheme
The distinct yellow-and-black color scheme of Mumbai's taxis owes its origin to Vithal Balkrishna Gandhi, a freedom fighter turned MP. He recommended painting the upper part of the cabs yellow for visibility and the lower part black to hide any stains. Today, Mumbai still has over 40,000 black-and-yellow cabs, down from around 63,000 in the late '90s, which included the distinctive "cool cabs" with their blue and silver color scheme. Despite efforts to preserve at least one Kaali Peeli taxi, none remain on the road.