Mumbai: Sayed Sameer Abedi goes to Mumbai's largest scrap yard at Kurla and finds hardened old cabbies weeping as they watch their 25-yr-old taxis taken apart; only option after govt rule

rip: Just pieces of the 25-year-old taxi remain as it's torn apart by the scrap dealers in less than two hours. Each part will be sold separately. pics/sayed sameer abedi

On December 3, at least 7,021 black and yellow taxis were supposed to have gone off Mumbai roads. The taxis were over 25 years old and according to the state government and the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), they did not make the cut, both in terms of passenger comfort and fuel efficiency.

While some of them are still plying despite constant fear of being caught and permits cancelled, many have made their way to Kurla.

There lies Kapadianagar and Mohammedi Estate with approximately 40 scrap yards the largest concentration in Mumbai. Yesterday afternoon, there were between six and seven taxis, all 25 years and above, lined up at each of these scrap yards.  

Cabbie Subhash Tiwari (name changed) said, "I first went to Mohammedi Estate, where the scrap dealer offered me Rs 9,000, which was too little, so I came to Kapadianagar and I accepted the offer of Rs 12,000. I stood and watched them break down my taxi. I have been driving it for over 30 years. I bought it from the owner and I have been using it carefully.

"It broke my heart to see it being taken apart piece by piece. They did it before me, in less than two hours."
The scrapdealer said that they made more than double on the sale. Every salvageable part is sold separately headlights, engines, doors, glasses, windscreen, rubber frames and wheels are taken out whole and sold separately.
 
Said scrapdealer Yusuf Abdul Khan, "Tomorrow we expect even more cabbies and the price will certainly come down. In fact, had they come to us a month or so ago, they would have got at least Rs 24,000 for the cab instead of Rs 12,000. But now, it's a buyers market."

Permit cancelled

Apart from selling the taxis for scrap, the cabbie has the option to ply them beyond Kalyan and Virar. Cabbies still plying in Mumbai can have their permits cancelled.

According to A L Quadros, president, Mumbai Taximen's union, said a PIL had been filed at the high court for extension of the December 3 deadline.

The court will hear the matter today. The union has also approached two banks, which have agreed to fund 2,000 cab drivers to buy new taxis mostly Omnis at Rs 1.85 lakh each. The black and yellow Premier Padmini taxi is no longer manufactured. The hearing for the PIL comes up today and the fate of the taxis is dependent on the judgment.