metamemphis does not stay here

Morning while reading the newspaper I came across a very cool article on sorta history of "Mumbai Taxi walahs" .. thought I would share with you beautiful ppl.

76-yr-old B S Naik has been driving taxis for 50 years. He now drives down memory lane for TOI

“I came to Mumbai from Karnataka in 1948. There were no traffic signals then. I got my license by proving I knew what was right and what was left and other things.

Before 1948, Mumbai’s taxis were divided into two segments: big and small cars. In the 1930s, big cars like Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford plied as taxis and used to charge 50 paise (USD0.01) per kilometre; it was considered very steep. They were yellow and black, just like today.

Models like Morris Minor, Austin and Auxel came along in 1952. The Landmaster (the company that made the Ambassador) came in the mid-1950s and was followed by the Hillman. These smaller taxis charged 6 annas (INR 0.75 paise, USD 0.016) per kilometre. Private taxis, called khajgis, also ran without the meter.

The uniform, complete with the cap, was compulsory. The cap gave way to the Gandhi topi after Independence and continued till 1960.

In 1949-50, Mumbai’s population was 25 lakh and the city extended till Mahim on the Western Railway line and King’s Circle on the Central Railway line. Two thousand big cars and less than a thousand small cars formed the taxi service of Mumbai till the 1960s and they were considered sufficient. No private car was visible from Colaba to Nariman Point in the 1950s. Even filmstars like Om Prakash did not own cars. But there were a few exceptions; Nargis owned a white Mercedes and Suraiya owned a green Dodge. Tanga was the popular mode of transport from Kalbadevi, Bhendi Bazaar and Zaveri Bazaar.

There was a time when the footpath was used for walking.

The municipality washed it in the Port area early every morning. A two-foot distance from the footpath was mandatory to park the taxi.

Those days, people were cultured, educated and polite. Today they are all models, drunkards, gamblers, bar dancers and thieves.

I have eaten a good meal called “rice plate’’ with 1 anna. In fact, 1 anna (INR 0.062 paise) was enough to run a house for a day. Today, even Rs 100 would not suffice. Obviously, the city has grown very expensive for the common man. I see the common man harassed, tired and coming from places like Virar and Vasai, which never really existed. People are pouring in from stations, buses and you find them atop trains and spilling over on the roads. Earlier it was more spacious and relaxing.

Not long ago in the 1980s, a Borivli-Bandra drive used to take me 20 minutes. Now, with so many flyovers and overbridges, it takes me two hours, sometimes more. (This is so true)

However, despite all the problems, there is still some good left. Mumbai’s taxiwalas are the most honest compared to the entire world. (Ok I really don’t agree with him on this)"

I don’t know why, but I found this article so cool and interesting. Heres a bit of pictorial Tour down the memory lane.(*Courtesy Mid Day)



Church gate then (dome shape building on the left is the railway station)



Nariman point then



Nariman point now (i do 160 kmph on this road :P)

More pics, you may visit Mid-day.com.

I love this city man ... regardless of all chaos blah blah blah blah ... it rocks...

Cheers.