Maharashtra Govt Launches Bharat Taxi At Navi Mumbai International Airport As Cooperative Alternative To Ride-Hailing Aggregators

Navi Mumbai, July 23, 2026: Bharat Taxi, a cooperative-based ride-hailing platform aimed at extending the cooperative movement beyond its traditional sectors such as agriculture and banking into digital mobility while ensuring affordable transportation for passengers and greater financial security for drivers, was launched in Maharashtra on Thursday, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurating the service at the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

The initiative, jointly launched by the Government of Maharashtra and the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, has been introduced as a government-backed alternative to private cab aggregators, enabling drivers to become cooperative members and stakeholders while offering transparent, reliable and affordable transport services.

Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil, MPs, MLAs, senior government officials and representatives of the cooperative sector were present at the launch.

Cooperative Model For Mobility

Addressing the gathering, Fadnavis said the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah was now becoming a reality in Maharashtra through Bharat Taxi. He said the initiative, earlier launched in Delhi and Gujarat, marks a new chapter for the cooperative movement by expanding it into the digital mobility sector.

Fadnavis said that while app-based taxi aggregators had made commuting easier, they had also created challenges for drivers through high commissions, platform charges and surge pricing.

"Whenever there is heavy rain, festivals or high demand, fares increase sharply, but the additional earnings rarely reach the drivers. Instead, the profits largely go to the aggregators," he said.

He said Bharat Taxi offers an alternative model where drivers are not merely service providers but also owners and shareholders of the cooperative society.

"Any profits generated are shared with the drivers through dividends. There is no surge pricing, no hidden charges and only a nominal service fee. It is a model created for the benefit of ordinary citizens and drivers alike," he said.

The Chief Minister said Mumbai is among the world's top 20 cities for safe and efficient public transport and the only Indian city to feature on the list. He said Bharat Taxi would complement the city's transport network by offering world-class, affordable and reliable app-based taxi services.

Employment And Passenger Benefits

Fadnavis also welcomed the agreement signed with the Late D. B. Patil Cooperative Transport Society, saying it would provide employment opportunities to around 3,000 to 4,000 local youth residing around the Navi Mumbai International Airport through the Bharat Taxi platform.

Expressing confidence in the initiative, he said Bharat Taxi would provide safe, reliable and customer-friendly transportation while ensuring high safety standards and greater security for women passengers.

Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil said Bharat Taxi would provide safe and reliable transport while creating employment and self-employment opportunities for thousands of youths. He said the platform would empower drivers through digital booking, transparent fares and cooperative ownership, ensuring them a dignified livelihood. With the launch coinciding with the commencement of operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport, he said the service would also offer passengers a more affordable alternative to existing taxi operators.

National Expansion Plans

Mohol said Bharat Taxi was conceived to bring taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers into the cooperative movement and free them from dependence on private aggregators.

"The core idea is that the driver should become the owner. Payments are credited directly into drivers' bank accounts, and every driver becomes a member of the cooperative, making them eligible to receive dividends whenever the cooperative earns profits," he said.

He said around 8 lakh drivers had already enrolled as members of Bharat Taxi across the country and the platform was facilitating nearly 11,000 rides every day. Around Rs 77 crore has already been transferred directly to drivers' bank accounts, he said, adding that after its launch in Delhi and Gandhinagar, Maharashtra has become the latest state to introduce the service, with Nagpur and Pune expected to follow.

Highlighting the Centre's broader cooperative reforms, Mohol said nearly 40,000 new cooperative societies had been registered against the target of establishing 2 lakh new societies nationwide. He added that the Centre was investing around Rs 3,000 crore in the computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to strengthen grassroots cooperative institutions.

Driver Empowerment Focus

Principal Secretary of the Cooperation and Marketing Department, Praveen Darade, said Bharat Taxi represents a significant expansion of the cooperative movement into the digital mobility sector. He said the platform combines technology with cooperative ownership to provide drivers with dignity, financial security and economic empowerment.

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Darade said the zero-commission model, affordable membership and emergency insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh would strengthen drivers' livelihoods, while support from institutions such as NCDC, IFFCO, NAFED, Amul, KRIBHCO, NDDB, NABARD and NCUI would help the platform expand across the country.

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