HM Amit Shah takes a 'Bharat Taxi' ride; driver recalls interaction with leaders
Gandhinagar, June 27
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi travelled in a 'Bharat Taxi' on Saturday shortly after launching the cooperative ride-hailing service in the state, with the three leaders riding from Mahatma Mandir to the Circuit House in Gandhinagar.
The symbolic journey followed the formal launch of Bharat Taxi in the state, which aims to expand the cooperative movement into the mobility sector by making drivers shareholders in the platform rather than commission-based operators.
The driver who ferried the three leaders described the experience as "unforgettable" and expressed confidence that the initiative would benefit taxi operators across the state.
"It feels very good. The Bharat Taxi app is excellent, and all of us drivers are going to benefit from it," he said after completing the journey.
Recalling his interaction with the leaders, the driver said: "Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi asked me my name and since when I had been associated with the service."
He added, "I am very happy. I never imagined this would happen. My fortune has opened."
Earlier on Saturday, Union Minister Shah formally launched the initiative, describing it as a cooperative alternative to conventional app-based taxi platforms.
During his address, the Union Home Minister said the initiative was designed to end the exploitation of drivers and passengers by making "Sarathis", owners and shareholders in the cooperative.
Union Minister Shah announced that Bharat Taxi had commenced operations across Gujarat's major cities in three categories, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws and four-wheelers
He asserted that the organisation planned to expand to more than 500 cities and towns across India within the next two years.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the initiative would allow drivers to share in the benefits of the enterprise instead of remaining only service providers.
"For years, taxi drivers continued to provide services, but they had no share in the profits of the companies," Chief Minister Patel said, adding that Bharat Taxi sought to transform drivers into stakeholders through the cooperative model.
Organisers said the platform has already enrolled around seven lakh driver-members nationwide and more than 37 lakh customers.
In Gujarat, the service has been launched in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Anand, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Mehsana, Jamnagar and Valsad.
The launch event also witnessed the exchange of memorandums of understanding with several organisations, including Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation, Gujarat State Cooperative Bank, Adani Airport Holdings, the Airports Authority of India, Western Railway's Ahmedabad Division, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Gujarat Police, with the aim of strengthening the platform's integration with transport infrastructure and public services across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Amit Shah ji riding in a Bharat Taxi... that's some serious PR move! But I'm cautiously optimistic. If this actually gives drivers profits instead of just commissions, it could work. The driver seemed genuinely happy. Just hope they don't end up with the same corporate greed hidden behind cooperative jargon. 🤔
I like the idea of cooperative-owned platforms. In India, we have Amul as a successful cooperative model for milk, so why not for taxis? The driver said, "My fortune has opened" - that's the kind of empowerment we need. Hope they expand to my city soon.
Interesting move by the government. The cooperative model could provide more stability for drivers compared to the gig economy models. But I wonder how the pricing will compare to existing services. If it's more expensive, customers might not switch. Still, worth a try!
Good to see the government thinking about driver welfare. But I wish they had done this before the private players captured the market. Now, breaking into this space will be tough. The MoUs with metro, airport, and railways are smart though - integration is key for success.
I'm a retired government servant and I think this is a good initiative. But I've seen many government schemes fail due to corruption and red tapism. The cooperative model only works if it's managed professionally, not politically. Let's hope the drivers actually get to own shares and make decisions.
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