If you live in Mumbai or Pune and regularly book rides through Ola or Uber, you may have experienced sharp fare hikes during festivals, heavy rain, or peak hours. Drivers, too, often complain about high commission charges deducted by ride-hailing platforms.
To address these issues, the Maharashtra government has launched Bharat Taxi, a new cooperative-based ride-hailing service.
The app was officially launched by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. Through a single mobile app, passengers can book car, auto-rickshaw and bike taxi services.
Speaking at the launch, Fadnavis said the new platform aims to provide commuters with safe and reasonably priced travel while ensuring drivers receive a larger share of their earnings.
How does the Bharat Taxi app work?
Bharat Taxi works like other app-based cab services. Passengers can download the Bharat Taxi app, register with their mobile number, enter their pickup and drop locations, and choose between a car, auto-rickshaw or bike taxi.
The app shows the estimated fare before booking, allowing users to confirm the ride. Once a driver accepts the request, passengers can track the vehicle and complete the trip through the app.
Fare details: ₹31 for first 1.5 km, then ₹21 per km
The Bharat Taxi will follow the fare structure of Mumbai’s black-and-yellow taxis. The fare has been fixed at ₹31 for the first 1.5 km and ₹21 per kilometre after that, making it a more affordable option for commuters.
600 taxis rolled out in the first phase
The first phase of the Bharat Taxi service has started with 600 taxis. The government plans to increase the fleet to more than 1,000 taxis in the coming months before expanding the service to other parts of Maharashtra.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the initiative is expected to create new employment opportunities, especially for local youth and project-affected families in the Navi Mumbai International Airport area.
Bharat Taxi to expand to Pune and Nagpur
After launching in Mumbai, the Bharat Taxi service will soon be expanded to Pune and Nagpur, Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol said. The government plans to gradually extend the service to more cities in Maharashtra.
Mohol said around 8 lakh drivers from across the country have already joined the cooperative platform, and ₹77 crore has been transferred directly to their bank accounts without any commission deductions.
