Gig workers welcome launch of ‘Bharat Taxi’ in coop sector

With the launch of ‘Bharat Taxi’, India’s first cooperative-sector taxi service, the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) welcomed the initiative, describing it as a milestone for gig workers.

Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’, Bharat Taxi represents a historic shift in India’s platform economy by placing drivers at the centre through the principle of ‘Sarathi Hi Malik’, where drivers are not just workers but owners and decision-makers. The facility was inaugurated by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday.

Welcoming the initiative, Shaik Salauddin, Co-Founder and National General Secretary of IFAT, said, “We strongly welcome Bharat Taxi as a landmark step towards ending the exploitative commission-based model in ride-hailing services. For the first time, drivers are being recognised as owners, not expendable gig workers. This cooperative model has the potential to restore dignity, ensure fair incomes, and provide long-overdue social security to transport workers.”

He further noted that initiatives such as ‘Sarathi Didi’, aimed at promoting women’s safety and participation, along with the provision of share certificates, personal accident insurance, and family health insurance, reflect a truly worker-centric and inclusive vision.

“With more than three lakh drivers already on board and thousands of rides being completed daily, Bharat Taxi has demonstrated that cooperative platforms can succeed at scale. IFAT and TGPWU look forward to active engagement to ensure that drivers’ voices remain central and the cooperative spirit is upheld in letter and spirit,” he added.