Mumbai's "Premier Padmini" taxis won't be running in the city as of Monday, October 30. Now, these yellow-and-black taxis will retire from Mumbai's streets, following in the course of the renowned red double-decker diesel buses of BEST, which recently went off-road as well.
The last Premier Padmini was registered at the Tardeo RTO, which oversees Mumbai's island city, as a black-and-yellow cab, according to a transport department officer. Since the city's taxi age restriction is 20 years, Mumbai will officially be without a Premier Padmini taxi starting on Monday.
The shift occurred soon after the fleet of public transporter Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) project phased out the final iconic diesel-powered double-decker buses owing to the end of their 15-year journey.
The sudden retirement of two essential and widely used public transport vehicles in a couple of weeks has saddened Mumbai's transport enthusiasts. Some have even demanded that a minimum of one 'Premier Padmini' be kept in operation or kept in a museum.
One of the biggest taxi driver unions in the city, the Mumbai Taximen's Union, unsuccessfully petitioned the government a few years ago to keep at least one kaali-peeli, as reported by PTI.
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