Amit Shah Launches Bharat Taxi: A New Cooperative Ride-Hailing Service

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is launching Bharat Taxi, India's first ride-hailing app based on a cooperative model. This innovative service aims to empower drivers by ensuring they receive 100% of ride payments initially, with plans for future incentives. With a competitive fare structure and integration with public transport, Bharat Taxi seeks to provide a fair alternative to existing platforms like Uber and Ola. The app has already gained significant traction, with thousands of new users registering daily and a focus on safety features. Learn more about this exciting development in the ride-hailing industry.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 5, 2026, 13:08 IST

Introduction of Bharat Taxi

Mumbai, Feb 5: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is set to unveil Bharat Taxi, a pioneering ride-hailing application in India that operates on a cooperative model, this Thursday.

This new service aims to provide a government-supported alternative to popular ride-hailing platforms like Uber, Ola, and Rapido.

Bharat Taxi, which is backed by the Ministry of Cooperation and managed by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, is being marketed as a mobility service owned by drivers, featuring a zero-commission structure during its initial phase, ensuring that all ride payments go directly to the drivers.

Fare Structure and Features

The Ministry of Cooperation has indicated that this platform will liberate drivers, known as Sarathis, from the exploitative practices of aggregator-based models.

The fare structure is set at Rs 30 for rides up to 4 km, Rs 23 per km for distances between 4-12 km, and Rs 18 per km for rides exceeding 12 km.

In a manner similar to other ride-hailing services, Bharat Taxi will also connect with public transportation options like the Metro, enabling users to plan multi-modal journeys through a single application.

Future Plans and User Engagement

Initially, all ride payments will be directed to the drivers, but in the future, the cooperative may implement a fee of approximately 20%, which will be redistributed to drivers as incentives.

Bharat Taxi aims to eliminate surge pricing, although dynamic pricing may be utilized in certain circumstances.

As reported by the Ministry of Cooperation, over 150 women drivers have already joined the platform.

The app has seen a significant increase in registrations, with around 40,000 to 45,000 new users signing up daily over the last two days.

In a January update on social media, the Ministry announced that Bharat Taxi has surpassed four lakh registered users.

App Availability and Safety Features

The application, available on both Android and iOS, has achieved notable rankings, placing ninth on the Google Play Store and thirteenth on the Apple App Store.

Safety features include options to notify emergency contacts, access a safety team, and activate a siren directly from the app.

Signing up is straightforward, requiring only basic information such as a mobile number, name, and email address.

Bharat Taxi also plans to establish dedicated pickup and drop-off zones at airports, with intentions to expand to other transportation hubs in the future.