 "End of the road for Premier cabs")
It was in the 1960s that Premier Auto teamed up with Fiat to manufacture the Padmini cars, which became the face of the Mumbai taxi service around 1970. However, with demand fizzling out, following the advent of more modern vehicles, production ended in 2000. The fate of the Fiat was sealed when in 2008 a government order banned taxis older than 25 years. The last of the lot is expected to disappear from the roads in the next five years.
Of the 40,000 cabs in the city, only 7,000 happen to be Fiats. The quaint charm of their dowdy seats, rattling doors and squeaky handles no longer finds favour with regular commuters. When they pick a taxi, it is usually one from the new generation, which promises better suspension and a less bumpy ride. "Fiats are nice to romanticise about but Santros look cleaner and are more comfortable," reasons Vaishnavi Bala, a media professional.
Others in the city, to whom these kaali-peelis are a reminder of Old Bombay, are already missing the Fiats. "Their fading from the cityscape feels like a part of the personality of the city is disappearing. The Eecos and Santros and all those little cars have no personality and they also have very little room," says Kabi Sherman, who has been recording conversations with cab drivers on her blog MeterDown for the past five years. Sherman, who works with an NGO, has lived in the city since 1993 and is now using every opportunity to travel by the Fiats before they are gone for good.
Taxi owners, who are stuck with the ageing vehicles, have concerns that are more real than romantic. "The poor are always the first to take a hit," rues 36-year-old Virendra Talwar. He plans to sell his two-decade-old Fiat next year and start driving a Santro on rent. He is not looking forward to it but reveals that raising Rs 4-5 lakhs to buy one is impossible. Driving on rent will earn him Rs 700-800 a day, of which Rs 400 would go to the cab's owner. The remaining sum will barely suffice to scrape up house rent, ration and school supplies for his children.
According to commuters, the swanky young taxis seem safer than their older counterparts but taxi drivers believe differently. The Padmini's mighty engine on the front and a spacious boot act as buffers. "In an accident, people in the Fiat taxi are more likely to escape without an injury than in a Santro," says Talwar.
The newer cars are simply not made for 12-14 hours of slogging on Mumbai's difficult roads and hence break down easily, says driver Harcharan Singh Harmar. Further, it takes a day or two for them to return from the service centre, causing a big loss of income. Fiats, on the other hand, can be fixed in a few hours. In most cases, the drivers can figure out the problem themselves with the help of a simple tool box.
Harmar's Fiat has served him well. It helped him fund MBA and CA college courses for his two daughters. He thumps the car's robust roof and asks proudly, "take a look at it. Can you tell that it is almost 23 years old?" Soon, this taxi will be sold as scrap for Rs 20,000-25,000.
Savings on the Padmini are higher as maintenance is cheaper. Though the vehicle is no longer in production, second-hand parts and cheap rip offs are still available at popular auto markets like the ones in Sion Koliwada and Kurla-CST road.
38-year-old Bashir Ansari recalls how other 15 to 20 Fiat cabs used to stand next to his usual spot near the picturesque Marine Drive some 12 years ago. Now, you can barely find five. With the recent policy changes and demands, taxi driving is no longer viable, says Ansari. Just last month, he spent Rs 6,000 to have a digital meters fitted and Rs 8,000 as insurance for his old Fiat. If things get worse, Ansari will pack up and return to farming in Jharkhand.
Not just of Fiat, but there has been a big drop in the overall number of city cabs. The numbers have fallen from 60,000 in the late 90s to the current number of 40,000. A number of drivers have given up their taxis to become private chauffeurs or to work in local factories. Some have even considered moving to Dubai for chauffeur jobs. "Many are leaving and there are very few new drivers because of the rule that taxi badges will be given only to those who have been staying here for 15 years," explains A L Quadros, leader of the Mumbai Taximen's Union.
The used Fiat parts sold are often worn out and faulty ripoffs pose a legitimate safety issue, thus justifying the government's decision to retire these cabs. What worries drivers is the impending rise in costs and lack of financial aid. Quadros says the Delhi government made it easier for drivers to switch to new cars by providing low-interest loans, but no such help is available for Mumbai drivers.
"Perhaps change is inevitable but change can be managed so that the burden doesn't always fall on the rozi-roti person trying to make a life for their family," notes blogger Sherman. The best solution, drivers reckon, would be if another low-cost car could replace the sturdy soldier that was the Fiat.