Bengal Govt launches ‘Yellow heritage cabs’ to revive Kolkata’s iconic taxis

The West Bengal government, in collaboration with a private company, has launched a fleet of 20 modern yellow taxis to preserve the legacy of the city’s iconic cabs. Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty flagged off the ‘Yellow Heritage Cabs’ on Friday, with Transport Secretary Soumitra Mohan and other officials present at the event. The initiative aims to maintain the presence of yellow taxis while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.

The new taxis are hatchback models featuring seat belts, airbags, and dual-fuel technology supporting both CNG and petrol. The exteriors will showcase images of Kolkata’s landmarks, including Victoria Memorial and Howrah Bridge. A transport department official stated that these taxis can be booked using the government-backed ‘Yatri Sathi’ app, allowing passengers to access them digitally.

A total of 3,000 such taxis are expected to be introduced within two months, as per transport department officials. The launch follows an agreement between the private company and a leading automobile manufacturer to produce and deploy these vehicles. Officials emphasized that these taxis are designed to offer a modernized alternative while retaining the traditional yellow taxi branding.

The initiative comes as Kolkata’s older yellow taxis face gradual phase-out under a 2009 Calcutta High Court order, which mandates that commercial vehicles older than 15 years cannot operate within the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) area, including Howrah. The number of metered yellow taxis has declined sharply from 20,000 in 2021 to fewer than 2,000 projected by the end of 2025.

According to officials, all remaining old yellow taxis will be fully phased out by 2027-28. The government has not announced any subsidy or financial assistance for existing taxi operators to transition to the new models. The introduction of these heritage cabs aims to maintain the presence of yellow taxis in Kolkata’s transport system while adhering to court-mandated vehicle age restrictions.