Kolkata’s famous yellow taxis, which have long been treasured as representations of the city’s history and allure, are in danger of going extinct. Concerns have been raised by drivers, unions, and people about the government’s proposal to phase out 2,500 cabs that are more than 15 years old as part of a fleet modernization project.

They provide a warning about the possible erasing of a cultural symbol and dire economic consequences.

Some facts about the yellow taxis that many of us might not know about:

• In 1908, the first yellow cab was seen on the streets of Kolkata, costing 8 annas (50 paise) per mile.
• Citing the Ambassador’s longevity on Indian roads, the Calcutta Taxi Association made it the standard cab type in 1962. Because yellow is so visible, even at night, it was selected.
• The first yellow cab driver in Kolkata was Surendranath Banerjee, who obtained his license in 1932.
• In 2009, Shefali Ray became the first female yellow taxi driver in the city, and her perseverance inspired many.
• A study shows that, particularly in the wake of the COVID scenario, the number of yellow cabs has decreased from 18,000 in 2020 to just 6,000 currently.

A provocative panel discussion, ‘Harano Sure Holud Taxi’, was organized by lyricist, writer, poet, and elocutionist Jharna Bhattacharjee in collaboration with i Communications to address these urgent issues.

Along with Jharna Bhattacharjee, the panel consisted of eminent speakers like Santi Das, IPS, Additional Superintendent of Police and ADC(P) to the Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal, Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee, Senior Advocate, Calcutta High Court, Debapratim Dasgupta, Film Director, Writer & Actor, Shatarup Ghosh, Political Activist, Soumyajit Mahapatra, Advisor, i Communications, Sujoy Rudra, Actor, Director, Lyricist, Composer & Singer, Anubhab Maiti, Journalism Student, Jadavpur University, Syed Rahim Nabi, Former Indian Footballer, and Sadananda Mukherjee, Hony. Finance Secretary, East Bengal Football Club.

The speakers discussed the lasting legacy of the yellow taxi as well as the possible ramifications of the government’s choice.

They talked about how crucial it is to protect this cultural icon, how to help individuals who depend on the taxi industry, and how to strike a balance between modernization and legacy preservation.

A close-up look at the history of these recognizable cars was provided by the event, which also featured the individual tales and experiences of yellow cab drivers and customers.

A display of photographs that chronicled the history of Kolkata’s yellow taxis brought a nostalgic touch.

Priyanka Dutta