Amit Shah unveils ‘Bharat Taxi’ in Delhi-NCR, Gujarat; nationwide expansion planned

New Delhi: Union Home and Cooperation minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched Bharat Taxi, a cooperative-run ride-hailing platform, following a two-month pilot phase. The service has started operations in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat and is set to expand to the rest of the country in the coming years.

Speaking at the launch on February 5, 2026, Shah said the platform will be rolled out nationwide within three years, covering regions from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari and from Dwarka to Kamakhya. He added that profits earned through the service will be shared directly with the drivers.

Through the Bharat Taxi app, customers can book cars, auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers. The app enters a market currently led by private players such as Uber, Ola and Rapido.

Bharat Taxi is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and was set up on June 6, 2025. It follows a zero-commission model and does not apply surge pricing. Instead, earnings are distributed among drivers, positioning it as a homegrown alternative to foreign-funded ride-hailing companies.

Supported by eight major cooperative bodies, the platform began pilot services on December 2, 2025, in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.

According to the Cooperation Ministry, Bharat Taxi is the world’s first large-scale cooperative ride-hailing service and the largest driver-owned mobility platform globally.

Since the pilot began, over three lakh drivers have joined the platform and more than one lakh users have registered. The service is currently completing over 10,000 rides daily in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. Around Rs 10 crore has already been paid directly to drivers.

The platform also offers social security benefits to drivers, referred to as “Sarathis,” including health and accident insurance, retirement savings options and dedicated support centres. Seven such centres are currently operating in Delhi.

(with inputs from agencies)