New Delhi: In a major move to challenge 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 country’s first national cooperative taxi service.
The pilot project is scheduled to begin in November in Delhi, starting with 650 drivers, followed by a nationwide rollout in December.
A Cooperative Approach to Mobility
According to the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), the initiative aims to “transform the mobility ecosystem through 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). An MoU has been signed with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited to operate the service.
Unlike private ride-hailing companies, Bharat Taxi will function as a cooperative enterprise, meaning that drivers will also be co-owners of the platform.
Governance and Leadership
A governing council has been established to oversee the functioning of the cooperative.
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Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Amul (GCMMF), has been unanimously elected as the Chairman.
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Rohit Gupta, Deputy Managing Director of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), will serve as the Vice Chairman.
The cooperative model is designed to promote a sense of ownership, community, and transparency, ensuring fair benefits for both drivers and passengers.
Integration with National Digital Platforms
The Bharat Taxi service will be linked with key government digital platforms such as DigiLocker, UMANG, and API Setu.
This integration will enable secure identity verification and seamless service delivery, further aligning Bharat Taxi with India’s digital public infrastructure.
How to Use Bharat Taxi
Using Bharat Taxi will be just as easy as using Ola or Uber.
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Android users can download the “Bharat Taxi” app from the Google Play Store.
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iPhone users can find it on the Apple App Store.
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The app will be available in Hindi, English, Gujarati, and Marathi.
With this initiative, India is set to introduce a citizen-owned alternative in the ride-hailing market — one that combines technology, transparency, and cooperative values to empower drivers and provide fairer mobility solutions.
