Amit Shah Launches Bharat Taxi in Gujarat, Says Cooperative Taxi Model Will Reach 500 Cities

Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched the cooperative mobility platform Bharat Taxi in Gujarat and accused private ride-hailing companies of engaging in “unfair competition” by slashing fares and operating at losses to block its expansion. The service was inaugurated at Mahatma Mandir and introduced across 14 major cities in the state, marking a significant push in India’s cooperative-led transport model.

Shah said claims that Bharat Taxi fares were higher were misleading and alleged that established aggregators were cutting prices and increasing incentives for drivers to counter the entry of the cooperative platform. He said such strategies would not succeed and reaffirmed that Bharat Taxi would expand to over 500 cities across India within two years, including major urban centres before 31 July.

According to government data released by the Ministry of Cooperation, Bharat Taxi operates on a “Saarthi Hi Maalik” model, where drivers, known as Saarthis, are also co-owners of the platform under a zero-commission structure , ensuring that 100 percent of fares go directly to them. Official figures indicate that more than 7 lakh customers and over 1.5 lakh Saarthis have already joined the platform, with over 3,500 rides being completed daily . The platform was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act in June 2025 and was first formally launched in February 2026, following pilot operations in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.

The Gujarat rollout includes cities such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Dwarka, and others. The service now operates across two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws and four-wheelers, reflecting its expansion beyond traditional cab services. Bharat Taxi also signed multiple MoUs with agencies including Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation, municipal bodies, traffic police units, airports, and railway divisions to integrate transport infrastructure.

Officials said the initiative is inspired by India’s cooperative movement and aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi”, aiming to replicate cooperative success stories in sectors like dairy and credit into mobility services. Shah said the platform is designed to address complaints faced by drivers under private aggregators, including high commissions, delayed payments, and abrupt account suspensions.

The launch event was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperation, and over 4,000 participating Saarthis.