Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that Bharat Taxi, the country’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, has registered 8.27 lakh Sarathis (drivers) as of July 28, 2026.
In a written reply, Shah said Bharat Taxi is not intended to replace private app-based taxi aggregators, but to offer a driver-centric, cooperative alternative where drivers are members and stakeholders, ensuring better economic and social welfare alongside affordable and reliable transport services.
The platform, operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited (STCL), is supported by eight major cooperative institutions, including NCDC, IFFCO, Amul, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NABARD, NDDB and NCEL. Delhi-NCR leads with 2.61 lakh registered drivers, followed by Gujarat (1.04 lakh) and Maharashtra (84,332).
The Minister clarified that the Central Government has provided no financial assistance, equity support or incentives for the platform, which is being run under the cooperative framework.
Bharat Taxi plans to expand to more cities based on operational readiness and statutory approvals, with partnerships proposed at airports, railway stations and metro networks for last-mile connectivity.
The platform also features SOS alerts, trip sharing, encrypted data storage, police coordination and a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism to ensure passenger safety and transparency.
