Govt Plans Nationwide Expansion of ‘Bharat Taxi', India's First Cooperative Ride-Hailing Platform
At present, the service operates in the Delhi-NCR region and in several cities in Gujarat.
Govt Plans Nationwide Expansion of ‘Bharat Taxi’, India’s First Cooperative Ride-Hailing Platform
India’s cooperative ride-hailing platform Bharat Taxi is set for significant expansion, with the government planning to extend the service to major cities and talukas nationwide over the next two to three years.
The platform was launched last month by Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and is positioned as India’s first ride-hailing service built on a cooperative model. It has already attracted around four lakh driver registrations.
At present, the service operates in the Delhi-NCR region and in several cities in Gujarat including Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Somnath and Dwarka. Authorities expect the network to grow steadily as more drivers and cooperative institutions join the platform.
The government says the initiative has been designed to empower drivers by improving their income while giving them a stake in the platform’s operations. Officials believe the cooperative model could offer an alternative to traditional ride-hailing services by ensuring greater transparency and fairer income distribution.
During a discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar said the service allows passengers to book rides through a mobile application and includes security measures such as linkage with the Delhi Police.
The platform has been developed by eight cooperative organisations, including dairy major Amul.