Bombay Photo Images[ Mumbai]: Bombay padmini to Mumbai santros

Padmini taxis are quietly fading into the oblivion

Somit Sen | 13 hrs ago

This iconic Mumbai cab will hit the brakes in eight months - the-times-of-india

the-times-of-india-mumbai-edition/.../281685434400756

3 hours ago - This iconic Mumbai cab will hit the brakes in eight months. From 63,000 in 1997, Now Only 100 Ply In City. The Times of India (Mumbai

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Nov 02 2016 : The Times of India (Mumbai)

This iconic Mumbai cab will hit the brakes in eight months

Somit Sen & Bella Jaisinghani

MUMBAI:

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From 63,000 in 1997, Now Only 100 Ply In City

Mumbaikars will soon bid adieu to the Padminis, an iconic feature of the city's public transportation system for over five decades.The model reached its peak in November 1997 with a fleet strength of 63,000 cabs and a monopoly to brag about. Currently , according to taxi union leader AL Quadros, Related image

there are about a 100 still plodding along--most of which will be phased out by mid-2017 due to a paucity of spare parts. The rest have given way to other car models.A survey , conducted by Quadros' union, showed that Santros are the most popular making up 80% of Kaali-Peelis, Wagon-Rs make up 10%, i10s account for 4% and Eecos, Omnis, Altos and other models make up the rest.
“Most owners want to phase the Padmini Related image

out before their life span ends,“ says cab driver Mukesh Mishra, as he drives his `close-to-heart' Padmini taxi in Fort. “There was always a demand for Padminis as commuters found them very comfortable in terms of seat arrangement, leg space, less rattling, good ventilation and speed. In the '90s, I could boast among friends and relatives back in UP that I was driving a Padmini taxi in Mumbai.

It was also made popular in Hindi films,“ he adds.
Quadros also gets sentimental about the phasing out of Padminis. “It is a fact that commuters now prefer an advanced model of taxis, especially Santros or Wagon-Rs Related image

.They will skip a Padmini and opt for a new car model. But the Padminis have done a fantastic job serving millions of commuters over the years.“

But on a more pragmatic note, his union is now encouraging drivers to opt for new cars with air-conditioning.He adds that new models like i10 Eras and Eecos, which have six passenger seats and can be deployed on share rou tes, are increasingly popular.
Vignettes of the Premier Padmini penetrated the city's collective consciousness through Hindi cinema in the 1970s beginning with Chetan Anand's `Hanste Zakhm' where wealthy millionaire Navin Nischol pretends to be a taxi driver to woo Priya Rajvansh.
Indian films and posters from 1930: film (Hanste Zakhm)(1973)

Hanste Zakhm is a 1973 Indian Hindi film produced and directed by Chetan Anand. The film stars Navin Nischol, Priya Rajvansh, Balraj Sahni, and Nadira in ..

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. In 1977, two vastly different films used thGe Padmini taxi to make a point about life in the metropolis. Muzaffar Ali's path-breaking `Gaman' showed Farooque Shaikh as a migrant from UP who gains a foothold in Mumbai by learning to drive the taxi.
Indian films and posters from 1930: film (Gaman)(1979)

The more superficial `Taxi Taxie' featured Amol Palekar as a taxi driver, who is down on his luck as far as romance goes.Indian films and posters from 1930: film (taxi taxie)(1977)
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Older commuters recall opting for the Padmini taxis instead of private cars for trips within the city. “If I had to go to a party , wedding or even a business-related visit, I would prefer going by the Padmini as these drivers are excellent navigators and know every road and colony in theisland city and suburbs.Most drivers are old-timers, who have had a long association with the taxi trade. They follow traffic rules and don't honk much,“ says Arvind Kothari, a businessman.

City historian and noted advocate Rajan Jayakar does not mourn the loss of the Padmini. “It was not really antiquated given that it only arrived in the mid-1960s. It was owned by individuals as well as a taxi model. Before that, there was the Italian Fiat. In fact, I also owned a 1957 mo del. I would say the Padmini was semi-old.“

A ride in a Padmini taxi was a “bittersweet“ experience, says Jayakar. “It was comfortable but it would break down often, especially during the monsoon. Luckily , there was always a mechanic in the vicinity, who could get it up and running again, and parts were easily available. The front seat was continuous so three people could fit in. But the body of the car would rust so the taxi owner had to keep refurbishing and painting it.Also, the mileage was poor.“
Historian Deepak Rao feels a trifle nostalgic but points out that just like new, improved

models have replaced the Padmini; it once replaced older cars like Austin n Related image

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