Bharat Taxi Launched In Pune: Amit Shah Promises Zero Commission Charge For Drivers, 32,000 Sarathis Already Registered

Pune witnessed the launch of Bharat Taxi services on Sunday, a cooperative-based ride-hailing platform aimed at providing an alternative to private taxi aggregators. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the service in Talegaon Dabhade, promising that drivers would retain all their fares without paying commission on rides.

Speaking at the event, Shah emphasized the cooperative's creation to address the exploitation of drivers by private taxi companies, stating that the entire fare would be deposited directly into the driver's account. Nearly 32,000 Sarathis, the platform's driver members, have already been registered in Pune. Sunetra Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, confirmed that Bharat Taxi is available for travel between Mumbai and Pune and has recorded over 10 lakh registered Sarathis and 60 lakh registered customers nationwide.

Daily, the service facilitates around 20,000 rides. The platform, operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, a multi-state cooperative society, follows a zero-commission model and a subscription-based membership system for drivers. Sunetra Pawar introduced the "Sarathi Didi" facility for women drivers, highlighting a ₹5 lakh health cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme for eligible drivers registered on the e-Shram portal.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde welcomed the launch, emphasizing the driver-ownership model ensures drivers receive the full reward for their work without any middleman or commission deductions. The platform began operations in Mumbai and Nashik and is now expanding to Nagpur, Kolhapur, and Solapur. The Union government formally launched Bharat Taxi nationally on February 5, 2026.