Lockdown Rolls On While Kolkata’s Iconic Peeli Taxis Remain Still

Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam

Kolkata's iconic yellow taxis have been racing against time long before the pandemic came along to play catalyst against their fight for relevance. With the advent and convenience of private cab services, like Ola and Uber, Kolkata’s yellow taxis have been struggling for survival.

But that fight has become tougher since the nationwide lockdown was imposed, to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Despite the West Bengal government allowing cabs to ply on the road, drivers complain that they aren’t finding any passengers.

Mantu Das says that he has not found a single passenger all morning despite driving 30 kilometres and burning fuel worth Rs 150.

The cab drivers, whose source of income had come to a halt due to the lockdown, say that they have depleted most of their savings in the last two months.

“We have been jobless during the two-month lockdown. My daughter is supposed to get married in six-seven months, so, I had saved up some money for that. I have been using that money until now. But, if the lockdown extends, whatever money I had saved for her, I’ll end up spending it all. Then, how will I get her married?”

Sandesar Mishra, Yellow Taxi Driver

Many of them have no money left for medical expenses and medicines.

“I haven’t been able to afford medicines for my wife, for two months. She is a sugar patient. Who will I ask? No one comes forward to help either.

Sanjay Ghatak, Yellow Taxi Driver

Living on borrowed money, some of them complain that they do not have the finances to constantly sanitize their cars, as per the issued instructions.

“We are supposed to sanitize the passengers. We are supposed to sanitize the whole car... how will we get the money to sanitize the whole car? We can spray some on the passenger’s hands, but we can’t sanitize the whole car (every time). We don’t have money for food, how will we have money for that?”

Mantu Das, Yellow Taxi Driver

Besides monetary constraints, the drivers are also apprehensive about taking passengers because of the ongoing pandemic.

Kolkata awaits to see the streaks of yellow plying on the roads again, but that might not happen anytime soon.