Government-backed Bharat Taxi to launch in Delhi on January 1, bets on driver-owned model

Bharat Taxi, a government-backed cab-hailing platform positioned as a driver-owned alternative to private aggregators such as Uber, Ola and Rapido, will be launched in Delhi from January 1.

Promoted by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the platform reportedly seeks to address long-standing grievances in the urban mobility market, including surge pricing, opaque fare structures and high commissions charged to drivers by app-based taxi companies.

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At the core of Bharat Taxi’s proposition is a cooperative ownership model that allows drivers to retain nearly 80% of their earnings—significantly higher than the payouts typically offered by commission-led platforms. In some cases, officials associated with the initiative said the entire fare paid by passengers will go directly to drivers. Any surplus, generated by the cooperative will be shared among its members rather than retained by a private company, giving drivers a direct stake in the platform’s growth.

The platform, as per reports, will operate on a fixed-fare structure, doing away with dynamic or surge pricing during peak hours, adverse weather conditions or holidays. Fare details will be shown upfront before a booking is confirmed, a move aimed at improving transparency and helping commuters better plan their travel expenses.

Bharat Taxi will offer multiple transport options, including auto-rickshaws, cars and bike taxis. The app will support bookings in multiple Indian languages and include features such as real-time vehicle tracking, verified driver onboarding, passenger safety tools and 24x7 customer support.

Driver interest in the platform appears strong ahead of the launch. Around 56,000 drivers in Delhi have already registered on Bharat Taxi. Within 10 days of enrolment opening, more than 51,000 drivers signed up across Delhi and Gujarat’s Saurashtra region, according to officials.

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Beta trials for consumers began this week in Delhi, with the Bharat Taxi app now available on Google Play. Drivers have started offering live services during the trial phase, which is expected to help developers identify technical issues and fine-tune features ahead of the full rollout next month.

The launch comes as regulators and policymakers increasingly scrutinise pricing practices and working conditions in the gig economy, with Bharat Taxi being positioned as a more transparent and equitable alternative in India’s fast-growing ride-hailing market.