Mumbai has around 35,000 black and yellow cabs.
Hailing a taxi on the street may soon be a thing of the past, if an idea of the two main taxi unions in Mumbai becomes a reality.
Mumbai's traditional black and yellow cabs will soon offer services on a mobile phone app.
Called 9211, the app will offer instant cab services at government approved rates. Taxi unions say a large customer base has shifted to cab aggregator services like Ola and Uber and this is an effort to stop that trend.
Mumbaikars who are hassled by the taxi refusals welcome the step. A commuter who finds it difficult to travel home to Dadar from office in Lower Parel says, "If the application solves the problem of refusals then its fine. Or else it's going to be useless."
Prem Singh, from the Mumbai Taxi Association, says, "We are coming out with this app to help serve Mumbaikars better. Since people do everything on the phone these days they should be able to book our cabs as well."
However, taxi drivers say there are issues that need to be sorted out before the app can become a success.
Pramod Kadam, who has been driving a taxi for 14 years in Mumbai, says, "The main thing is costs. How much will a taxi driver have to pay and who will bear the expense? However if it leads to more customers then it may become a viable option."
Mumbai has around 35,000 black and yellow cabs. While the move is being seen as an old business model adapting to the new by introducing technology, it's success will largely depend on how many cab drivers actually sign up for it. An earlier effort by Ola to bring the black and yellow cabs under its banner did not see and enthusiastic response. However, this time with the unions themselves pushing the idea and with their businesses being threatened, it may just take off this time.