Kolkata: The city’s iconic yellow taxis have received a fresh start with the launch of ‘Heritage Mobility Cabs’, based on the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R. These petrol and CNG-powered taxis replace the ageing Ambassadors, preserving Kolkata’s heritage while incorporating modern technology and eco-friendly alternatives.
The new fleet was launched by NA Mobility Private Limited on February 27 and inaugurated by state Transport minister Snehasish Chakraborty. The company partnered with Maruti Suzuki and signed an MoU with the state Transport department at the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) last month. As part of the initiative, NA Mobility has committed Rs 100 crore this year and a total of Rs 250 crore by 2027 to upgrade the city’s yellow taxis with cleaner fuel alternatives. As part of the arrangement, the company buys cars from Maruti Suzuki, paints them yellow and provides them to drivers who operate them for earning while paying a set amount to the company. This model allows drivers to run taxis without making a large upfront investment, with priority given to experienced yellow taxi drivers.
From February 28, 20 such taxis have begun plying on city roads and can be booked via the Yatri Sathi App. The company plans to introduce 200 cabs by mid-2025 and 1,000 by the end of the year, with a goal of rolling out 3,000 yellow heritage cabs by 2027. To honour the city’s rich legacy, each taxi features images of iconic landmarks, including the Victoria Memorial and Howrah Bridge.
NA Mobility, which began operations in December last year, is the only company licensed to roll out these taxis under its agreement with the state government. Discussions are underway with Maruti Suzuki to explore pre-painted yellow cars matching the state-approved design.
While currently available only on Yatri Sathi, talks are ongoing to expand the availability of these new yellow taxis to other app-based platforms.
Kolkata’s yellow taxis, first introduced in 1962 with Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador, have declined. From 18,000 pre-pandemic, the count dropped to 7,000 in 2024. By the end of 2025, fewer than 3,000 Ambassador taxis are expected to remain.