According to a scheme, cleared late last night by the Transport Minister Parvez Hashmi, Delhi will have 5,000 radio taxis or taxis connected by wireless network within a couple of months.

Equipped with the state-of-art Global Positioning System (GPS), these striped taxis are expected to replace the obsolete yet legendary yellow-top Ambassadors taxis. Technical assistance is being sought from British and Singaporean companies for launching the scheme, which will give taxi licences not to individuals but to companies.

It would also mean that about 7,000 old taxis running on Delhi streets would be rendered almost redundant.``We want to phase out the old taxis and taxi stands found everywhere in the city,'' says Hashmi. ``But we will also make sure that the ones who are presently running their taxis will not be left without jobs and will be inducted in the new scheme.''

The new taxis would be of two categories. Maruti Omnis and Maruti 800s will form one category and air-conditioned luxury cars, the other.

These cars would be cruising in the city and will be in touch with a central control room through their wireless sets hooked on to the GPS. In case of a call from a commuter from an address anywhere in Delhi, the vehicle nearest to the spot will be diverted to the address.

``A market survey is being conducted for the commuter profile of the Capital so that the taxis can be allocated according to the demands of the area,'' said a senior official of the State Transport Authority which had submitted the plan to the Delhi Government.

Hashmi feels that within a couple of months the taxis would be on the road. ``We have finally worked out the modalities with three companies which were chosen through tender for the job,'' he said. Two months ago, tenders were floated inviting companies to apply for running radio taxis with a minimum fleet capacity of 500 vehicles. Twenty companies had applied and a committee was set up by the STA for selection.

The committee selected six and finally shortlisted three. The other three have been kept on the panel in case any of the three selected cannot meet the requirements set by the Government. The letters of intent to these companies are set to be given next week.