About 250 new cabs could get roof-top indicators from February 1, as the taxi union and the Maharashtra Transport Department have decided to try the signs provided by five vendors who had expressed interest.

In a letter to Transport Commissioner Shekhar Channe (a copy is with mid-day) sent on Tuesday, Mumbai Taximen's Union leader Anthony Quadros had said they were strongly opposed to the rooftop indicators on black-and-yellow cabs. However, the Transport Department was firm on the move and had called a meeting of taxi unions and roof-top indicator vendors. "Five vendors who have expressed interest have been asked to provide 50 roof-top indicators free of cost on a trial basis. We will assess their performance and then decide on the next step," Quadros said.