Transport minister clarifies state’s stand on 15-year phasing-out rule for yellow taxis

Kolkata: State Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty met with taxi operators on Tuesday to address concerns about the future of Kolkata’s iconic yellow taxis.

During the meeting, attended by members of the West Bengal Taxi Operators’ Co-ordination Committee (AITUC), and department’s principal secretary Saumitra Mohan, the minister reiterated the state government’s stance on phasing out commercial vehicles, including taxis, once they reach 15 years of age, in compliance with a 2008 Calcutta High Court ruling. This ruling mandates that vehicles older than 15 years cannot ply on the city’s roads.

As the fleet of the classic yellow-and-black Ambassador taxis dwindles, sources from the Transport department indicated that the number of these taxis will drop below 3,000 by the end of next year, with around 1,500 vehicles set to be phased out.

Chakraborty clarified that while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opposes the scrapping of 15-year-old vehicles, the government is bound to follow the legal path. “The age limit is determined by a Court order and we cannot change it by issuing notifications or Cabinet decisions,” he said. However, he assured taxi operators that the state would support any legal appeals to challenge the 15-year rule, advocating for a system that considers the vehicle’s health condition rather than an arbitrary age limit.

In addition to the age restriction, taxi operators raised several other issues. Nawal Kishor Shrivastav, convenor of the co-ordination committee, appealed to the government to adopt a more flexible approach for owners of older yellow taxis by giving permits to them to operate the same and permitting vehicles from other manufacturers to serve as yellow taxis. The minister responded positively, offering assurances of state support to families involved with yellow taxis.

The committee also called for a grant of Rs 50,000 for taxi operators purchasing new vehicles and expressed concerns over fare irregularities on the ‘Yatri Sathi’ App and parking charges.