New Delhi: In a major move to counter the dominance of corporate ride-hailing giants like Ola and Uber, the Government of India has partnered with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited to launch Bharat Taxi — the nation’s first cooperative-based taxi service.
Launch Timeline
The pilot project will roll out in Delhi in November, starting with 650 drivers, followed by a nationwide expansion in December.
Government Initiative
According to the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY),
“This initiative aims to transform India’s mobility ecosystem with a cooperative-driven, transparent, and citizen-first ride-hailing platform.”
Bharat Taxi has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Cooperation and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD). The project operates under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Central Government and Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited.
Cooperative, Not Corporate
Unlike private companies, Bharat Taxi is structured as a cooperative, meaning drivers are co-owners rather than employees. The service will be governed by a council to ensure accountability and fairness.
Leadership
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Chairman: Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Amul (GCMMF)
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Vice Chairman: Rohit Gupta, Deputy Managing Director of NCDC
This leadership aims to bring the cooperative ethos of Amul into India’s urban mobility sector.
Driver-First Model
Bharat Taxi’s cooperative structure empowers drivers as stakeholders, promoting community ownership, transparency, and shared benefits between drivers and passengers.
Digital Integration
The Bharat Taxi platform will be integrated with key national digital platforms:
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DigiLocker for document verification
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UMANG for easy government service access
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API Setu for seamless interconnectivity
How to Use Bharat Taxi
Using Bharat Taxi will be as simple as using Ola or Uber:
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Android users: Download the Bharat Taxi app from the Google Play Store
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iPhone users: Get it from the Apple App Store
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Available in Hindi, English, Gujarati, and Marathi for broader accessibility
