Bharat Taxi to launch by January-end after pilot run

The cooperatives-backed ride-hailing service Bharat Taxi will be officially launched in Delhi and other cities by the end of January, following an encouraging response during its soft launch, a senior cooperation ministry official said.

The digital platform, operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, was introduced in the capital, New Delhi, on a pilot basis on December 2, 2024.

“We have received a very good response for the Bharat Taxi service during the soft launch. The official launch will be done by month-end,” Panjak Kumar Bansal, Additional Secretary in the Cooperation Ministry, told PTI.

The service has been recording an average of 5,500 rides daily, including 4,000 from the airport and 1,500 from other locations across cab, auto and bike categories, Bansal said.

More than 1.4 lakh drivers have registered on the app so far.

Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd is promoted by eight leading cooperative organisations: Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul), IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NDDB, NCEL, NCDC and NABARD. The board also includes two elected driver representatives.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah had announced the launch of the cooperative taxi service in Parliament in March 2024. The initiative aims to reduce the dependence of commercial vehicle drivers on private companies.

The app offers various features, including mobile ride booking, transparent fares, real-time vehicle tracking, multi-lingual support and round-the-clock customer service. It follows a zero-commission model, allowing drivers to retain full earnings from each ride, with cooperative profits distributed directly among them.

The platform is integrated with transit services, such as Metro rail, enabling users to book multiple modes of transportation on a single app. A tie-up with the Delhi Police has been established to ensure safety for both riders and drivers.

India’s ride-hailing and app-based taxi market has expanded rapidly over the past decade, led by large private platforms such as Uber, Rapido, and Ola, which transformed urban mobility by aggregating cabs, autos and two-wheelers through digital platforms. However, the sector has also seen persistent friction over driver commissions, dynamic pricing, incentives and regulatory compliance, with driver unions in several states periodically raising concerns about falling take-home earnings and rising operating costs.

Policymakers have increasingly explored alternative platform models, including cooperatives and publicly backed digital infrastructure, to improve driver welfare while retaining the efficiency of app-based mobility.

The launch of Bharat Taxi aligns with broader efforts to promote cooperative-led enterprises and offer drivers greater ownership and income stability, while also providing consumers with an additional mobility option. The initiative also comes as state governments and regulators review fare structures, platform accountability and safety norms, signalling a phase of recalibration for India’s ride-hailing ecosystem as it matures.