Tata Motors launches stripped down Indigo eCS taxi in Kolkata

The Hindustan Ambassador is a sight that greets almost every visitor in Kolkata, even serving as one of the staple memories of the city for many. An icon in the Indian automotive lexicon, the Hindustan Ambassador has served as the quintessential taxicab of Kolkata for many decades. Cheap and easily available spares, apart from the West Bengal government's attractive scrappage scheme, are factors that have allowed the Ambassador to retain its dominance and popularity, in one of India's oldest metropolitan cities.

The state government's indulgent policies have done their bit for the car.  In fact, the West Bengal government has repeatedly relaxed rules to accommodate the Ambassador taxi in Kolkata. The latest such concession came last year, when the Mamata Banerjee government gave cab operators yet another 6 month extension for replacing their ageing, BS-3 compliant Ambassador fleets with BS-4 cars. Notably, the Ambassador is built in West Bengal, at Hindustan Motors's Uttarpara factory to be specific. 

Even as Hindustan Motors is all set to launch the BS-4 emission norms compliant Ambassador Diesel, the car could face a fresh test as Tata Motors is eyeing the taxi sector in Kolkata with renewed vigour. Tata Motors has just launched a stripped out variant of the Indigo eCS compact sedan, at an ex-showroom Kolkata price of 4 lakh rupees. The Tata Indigo is aimed squarely at the Hindustan Ambassador taxis operating in Kolkata.  To operate as a Kolkata taxi, the Indigo will be dressed in yellow garb. 

Also, the car is shorn of a few features such as the power steering and air conditioning to make for the 4 lakh rupee price tag. The Indigo sold in Kolkata will be powered by a 1.4 liter turbo diesel engine that is BS-4 compliant. The version with power steering and air conditioning is said to be priced at 4.97 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Kolkata. Meanwhile, this isn't the first instance of Tata Motors attempting to foray into the taxi market of Kolkata.

In 2009, the car maker introduced 1,000 Indigo sedans in Kolkata to do duty as taxis. Back then, the car maker offered buyers 60,000 rupee Ambassador buyback scheme and an additional 20,000 rupee subsidy, as a deal sweetener. However, there have been reports that many taxi users in Kolkata were reluctant to engage Indigo cabs since these cabs were perceived to be more expensive than the Ambassadors. This even prompted many Indigo cab drivers to prominently display fares on par with the Ambassadors.  

So, cab operators might have some convincing to do for customers to begin accepting the Indigo as an alternative to the Ambassador. For its part, Tata Motors is pitching the Indigo sedan as an more economical option by promising buyers savings of 350 rupees on a daily running of 180 Km. Also, the car maker is betting on attractive exchange schemes, an annual maintenance contract and lower service downtimes, as the other plus points of the Indigo sedan's use as a taxi. 

Source HindustanTimes