Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday flagged off the Bharat Taxi service at the Navi Mumbai International Airport, describing it as a major cooperative initiative that would generate employment while empowering drivers through ownership.
Launching the service, Fadnavis said the cooperative sector is witnessing a “new revolution” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. After Delhi and Gujarat, Maharashtra has now become the third state to introduce the Bharat Taxi service.
The Chief Minister said Bharat Taxi is not merely an app-based taxi booking platform but a driver-centric cooperative model, where drivers are not just operators but also owners and shareholder-members of the cooperative.
This enables them to directly share in the profits of the enterprise, strengthening their economic empowerment while giving fresh momentum to the cooperative movement.
Highlighting the platform’s customer-friendly features, Fadnavis said Bharat Taxi will operate without surge pricing or hidden charges, offering transparent fares that ensure affordable, reliable and safe transportation for passengers while guaranteeing fair earnings for drivers.
He noted that Mumbai is already recognised for its robust and safe public transport system, and said a modern, technology-driven and trustworthy app-based taxi service is essential to further enhance the city’s global standing.
Referring to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Late D. B. Patil Cooperative Transport Society, Fadnavis said the initiative is expected to create 3,000–4,000 employment opportunities by facilitating bank finance for local residents of the Navi Mumbai International Airport area to purchase taxis.
He expressed confidence that Bharat Taxi would provide a hassle-free experience for customers, improve travel safety for women and emerge as a trusted, transparent mobility service for visitors arriving in Mumbai.
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, Minister Babasaheb Patil, MLAs Manda Mhatre, Mahesh Baldi and Prashant Thakur, along with other dignitaries, were present on the occasion. Mohol described the launch as the beginning of a new chapter in Maharashtra’s century-old cooperative tradition. He said Bharat Taxi would generate employment and self-employment opportunities for youth, women and local residents, while transforming drivers into “Sarathis” who are not merely service providers but also owners, shareholders and partners in the cooperative enterprise.
Unlike conventional app-based taxi aggregators, Bharat Taxi will operate without surge pricing or hidden charges. Instead, it will function on a transparent fixed-service-fee model aimed at ensuring affordable fares for passengers while enabling fair returns for Sarathis. The cooperative framework also allows drivers to share in the institution’s profits, making them stakeholders rather than commission-based operators.
During the launch, Sarathis received share certificates and service kits, symbolising their status as cooperative members. The service will now be expanded across Maharashtra in phases through partnerships with cooperative institutions, transport organisations and local bodies, reinforcing cooperation as a vehicle for employment, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth.
