When yellow-black taxis cruised the roads of Madras
This article examines the history of taxi services in Chennai, noting that while the city is an automobile hub, taxis were historically less prevalent than in other Indian metros. It discusses the types of vehicles used and their representation in Tamil cinema.
Why it matters
It provides insight into the unique urban mobility patterns of Chennai compared to other major Indian cities.
The story of Madras automobiles and the manner in which they seeded the local automobile and automobile component industry is too well known to write about. However, despite being an automobile hub, taxis as a means of transport hardly caught on here. On the other hand, they were integral features of life in Bombay and Calcutta. The Fiat taxis of Bombay and the Ambassadors of Calcutta were fixtures in those cities post-Independence.
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