Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will on Saturday launch Bharat Taxi, India’s first driver-owned ride-hailing platform, across 14 major cities in Gujarat, with the government targeting a state-wide rollout within a month.
The cities where the service will go live include Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Dwarka, Somnath, Valsad, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, and Amreli, the Cooperation Ministry said in a statement.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Cooperation Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani and other senior officials will be present at the launch.
Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and established on June 6, 2025, Bharat Taxi was soft-launched in Gujarat in December 2025 and is also operational in Delhi-NCR.
More than 37 lakh customers across India have used the platform so far.
The platform is built on a zero-commission model, a significant departure from conventional ride-hailing apps, ensuring that earnings flow directly to drivers, referred to as Saarthis. Beyond fares, Saarthis are entitled to insurance, loans, pension and various government social security schemes.
Gujarat has emerged as the platform’s strongest base. Of the 7 lakh Saarthis enrolled nationally, over 1.5 lakh are from the state, a figure the Ministry of Cooperation has cited as evidence of Gujarat’s historic strength in the cooperative movement.
Developed by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, Bharat Taxi is backed by eight major cooperative institutions — NCDC, GCMMF (Amul), NDDB, NAFED, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NABARD and NCEL.
The model is encapsulated in the tagline Saarthi Hi Maalik (the driver is the owner), positioning Saarthis not merely as service providers but as stakeholders in the enterprise itself.
For passengers, the platform promises surge-free pricing and, in Gujarat, a safety tie-up with the state police. Ride options span bikes, autos and cabs.