Bharat Taxi: Zero-Commission Cooperative Ride-Hailing App Debuts in Delhi

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched the Bharat Taxi app at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The Bharat Taxi service will be a entirely different approach for India's urban transport sector. Unlike established commercial cab operators such as Uber and Ola, which function as privately funded gig economy enterprises, the new platform has been designed on a cooperative model.

Driver Ownership Replaces Commission Structure

The Bharat Taxi platform functions through a cooperative framework where drivers become stakeholders rather than service providers working for commission. Each driver acquires five shares in the cooperative and avoids the per-trip commission deductions standard across the industry. Rather than losing a portion of each fare, drivers contribute a fixed daily charge of ₹30 for platform access.

According to platform representatives, this operational model could deliver fares approximately 30 per cent lower than current market rates. Traditional cab services typically extract ₹30-₹50 in commission per journey, an expense the cooperative structure eliminates entirely, with savings passed directly to passengers.

Initial Rollout Targets 250,000 Vehicles in NCR

The Delhi-NCR launch is likely to see enrolment of around 2.5 lakh vehicles. The application incorporates integrated safety mechanisms alongside a dedicated support line. Furthermore, 35 specialist centres have been established in collaboration with Delhi Police for rapid resolution of passenger concerns. All platform drivers -- referred to as "Sarathis" -- undergo verification processes.

Cooperative Firms Backs Initiative

Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited operates the service, with backing from prominent cooperative institutions including IFFCO, Amul, NCDC, NABARD, NDDB, KRIBHCO, NAFED and NCEL. 

During a preliminary pilot in December 2025 across Delhi and Gujarat, the trial period generated an average of 5,500 daily journeys, comprising 4,000 airport transfers, while garnering over 1.4 lakh registered drivers.

Nationwide Expansion

Bharat Taxi aims to extend operations across all states and urban centres across the country in the next 24 months, create dedicated assistance hubs in every state, enhance social security provisions for drivers, and build a sustainable, inclusive cooperative-based transport network through stronger alignment with national digital public infrastructure.