Mumbai's Iconic Kaali-Peeli ‘Padmini’ Taxis Go Off Road; Check Who Owns Last MH-01-JA-2556 Taxi

Starting from Monday, October 30, the iconic black-and-yellow 'Premier Padmini' taxis of Mumbai will cease to operate in the city. This development follows the recent retirement of the renowned red double-decker diesel buses belonging to BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport). The last registered Premier Padmini taxi with the license plate MH-01-JA-2556 is owned by Abdul Kareem Karsekar, a resident of Prabhadevi.

A representative from the transport department confirmed that the final Premier Padmini taxi had been officially registered with the black-and-yellow livery at the Tardeo RTO, which has authority over Mumbai's island city. Given that the maximum age for taxis in the city is set at 20 years, Mumbai will no longer feature a Premier Padmini taxi on its streets starting Monday.

This transition closely follows the retirement of the last iconic diesel-powered double-decker buses in the fleet of BEST, as their operational life of 15 years had come to an end.

The withdrawal of these two once-ubiquitous and essential modes of public transportation within a matter of weeks has left transportation enthusiasts in Mumbai with a sense of nostalgia. Some have expressed the desire for at least one 'Premier Padmini' to be preserved either for continued use or display in a museum.

A few years ago, the Mumbai Taximen’s Union, one of the largest taxi driver unions in the city, had made a plea to the government to safeguard at least one 'kaali-peeli' taxi, but their request went unanswered, as reported by PTI.

Mumbai presently boasts over 40,000 black-and-yellow taxis. However, in the late '90s, the city had a fleet of approximately 63,000, which included air-conditioned "cool cabs" recognized by their distinctive 'blue and silver' color scheme. (With agency inputs)