Mumbai taxis' last ride, the Premier Padmini to vanish from the streets

A driver waits for customers in front of an apartment building in his Premier Padmini taxi in Mumbai's suburbs October 3, 2012. The Premier Padmini was manufactured in India by Premier Automobiles from 1964 to 2000 and is based on the design of Fiat's 1100-series cars from the 1960s. The vehicle quickly became the iconic workhorse in Mumbai's fleet of black and yellow taxis until economic liberalisation in the 1990s allowed different makes and models to be produced in India. With a government order banning taxis over 25 years old, the number of Premier Padmini taxis has begun to dwindle and, in a few years, they will be gone from Mumbai's streets altogether. Local media estimates put Mumbai's current taxi fleet at about 51,000 vehicles, of which it is estimated that about 8,000 vehicles are over 25 years old. Picture taken October 3, 2012. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (INDIA - Tags: TRANSPORT SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 23 OF 23 FOR PACKAGE 'FAREWELL - OLD LADY MUMBAI' SEARCH 'PADMINI' FOR ALL

Drivers and mechanics gather together at a workshop.

A driver waits for customers in his Premier Padmini taxi on Marine Drive.

A Premier Padmini taxi makes it way through pedestrians and vehicle traffic on a crowded street.

A mechanic uses a wire brush to scrub the inside of a Premier Padmini taxi before it is refurbished at a taxi workshop.

A mechanic sits on a seat salvaged from a scrapped Premier Padmini taxi at a workshop.

A driver stands amid parked taxis near Santa Cruz domestic airport in Mumbai.

A taxi driver inspects the engine of his Premier Padmini taxi at a taxi park.

A family looks out from a Premier Padmini taxi parked along a street.

A driver demonstrates the use of a manually operated fare meter on his cab in central Mumbai.

A taxi driver takes an afternoon nap next to his taxi.

Transportation is important. And in the fourth most populous city in the world with roughly 20.5 million people, both getting around fast and avoiding others in the process is crucial.

The Premier Padmini was manufactured in India by Premier Automobiles from 1964 to 2000. The automobile is based on the design of Fiat's 1100-series cars from the 1960s and it quickly became the iconic workhorse in Mumbai's fleet of black and yellow taxis.

With the introduction of economic liberalisation in the 1990s, a variety of newer makes and models were introduced into the Indian market. Subsequently, to modernise the market as a whole, the Indian government banned taxis over 25 years old and thus the Premier Padmini taxis begun to dwindle.

Some estimates put Mumbai's current taxi fleet at about 51,000 vehicles, of which it is estimated that about 8,000 vehicles are over 25 years old. In next few years the classic fleet of taxis will be gone from Mumbai's streets altogether.

* Vivek Prakash / Reuters