Nano as taxi? Mumbai drivers all geared up

Think Mumbai, think black and yellow Fiat taxis. For decades now, the trusted Fiat has helped Mumbai get around be it day or night, with the friendly taximan always just a wave away.

But the cabbies now want a change for the better. With the Premier Padminis no longer being manufactured, they are looking forward to the Tata Nano hitting the roads.

"Majority of them (drivers) are anxious and have enquired about this vehicle because there's no other viable option," says President, Mumbai Taximen Union, A L Quadrose.

The drivers are more than happy. "It's cheap, it looks good. Who wouldn't want it?" says a driver N P Singh

But the Nano may not be viable just as it is. The taximen want few changes for it to become their ideal run-about.

"Petrol is not viable for us. We have to be able to convert it to CNG. We're trying to work it out," says Quadrose.

Drivers too have their set of demands. Says a taxi driver Rajendra Kumar Tiwari, "We need a carrier and more space. Then it will be great."

But even with those modifications, there are doubts being raised.

"It (Nano) can only work for very short distances. if I want to go from city to suburbs and back it will not work. They need a sturdy car," says Chairman, Western India Automobile Association, Nitin Dossa.

The Taximen Union says it's meeting Tata later this month to figure how the Nano can be a viable alternative for the Premier Padmini.