Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday launched the Bharat Taxi cooperative ride-hailing service in the state, describing it as a major step towards expanding the cooperative movement into the transportation sector and creating employment opportunities for local youth.
The service was inaugurated at Navi Mumbai International Airport in the presence of Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol, cooperative sector representatives, officials and drivers associated with the platform.
Speaking at the event, Fadnavis said Bharat Taxi, launched in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’ and under the guidance of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, offers a driver-owned cooperative model in which taxi operators are not only service providers but also members, shareholders and beneficiaries of the cooperative.
He said the platform seeks to address concerns associated with app-based taxi aggregators by eliminating surge pricing and hidden charges, while operating on a fixed service fee model. The initiative aims to provide passengers with transparent fares, safer travel and improved service quality, while ensuring better and more stable earnings for drivers.
Mohol said Bharat Taxi would generate new employment and self-employment opportunities for youth, women and local communities in Maharashtra. He urged more people to join the platform as “Sarathis of Cooperation” and become partners in the state’s cooperative growth.
The Minister said the platform would be expanded across Maharashtra in phases through the state’s extensive cooperative network. He added that the cooperative movement had been strengthened through several initiatives undertaken since the creation of the Ministry of Cooperation in 2021, including reforms to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and the establishment of national cooperative institutions.
Fadnavis also announced plans to connect 3,000 to 4,000 local youth living around Navi Mumbai International Airport with the Bharat Taxi platform through credit support for purchasing taxis, in collaboration with the D.B. Patil Cooperative Transport Association.
During the programme, share certificates and service kits were distributed to Bharat Taxi drivers. After its rollout in Delhi, Gujarat and now Maharashtra, the cooperative ride-hailing platform is expected to be expanded to more parts of the country in a phased manner.
