Mumbai commuters now have a new option for getting around the city. The Bharat Taxi app, a government-backed ride-hailing platform, is officially live in Mumbai, with both the passenger and driver-facing
apps now available for download and registration. While users can sign up and set up their accounts right away, the ability to actually book cabs through the app will go live from the first week of May.
Union Minister and North Mumbai MP Piyush Goyal inaugurated the service at an event in Kandivali West, calling it not merely a technological upgrade but a socio-economic intervention aimed at transforming drivers into stakeholders. Bharat Taxi will directly rival Uber and Rapido in the city.
Bharat Taxi now live: Driver onboarding has started, passengers can register too
Via the app, passengers in Mumbai will be able to book electric autos and electric kaali peeli cabs. The focus on electric vehicles is central to the platform's identity, with the government proposing incentives for drivers to transition from ageing petrol and CNG vehicles to EVs.
To strengthen its driver base in Mumbai, the government has partnered with the largest auto and taxi union in the city, led by Shashank Sharad Rao, bringing permit holders onto the platform.
Goyal pointed out that Mumbai's western suburbs alone have over one lakh auto rickshaws, and noted that local MLAs could play a role in setting up the charging infrastructure needed for e-autos and e-taxis as the fleet transitions to electric.
Key features of the Bharat Taxi app
Safety features on the app include an SOS button for emergencies, integration with local police mandatory police verification of all drivers, real-time emergency response systems.
The app will run on a minimal commission model aimed at keeping fares lower for passengers and earnings higher for drivers. Strict meter-based fares to standardise pricing and build passenger trust. All drivers are entitled for Mudra loans at approximately 9.5 percent available to drivers for purchasing electric vehicles.
How is Bharat Taxi different from Uber and Rapido?
Bharat Taxi is structured as a cooperative platform, which is a fundamental departure from the private aggregator model. The key difference lies in commissions.
"This platform will eliminate the commission charged by private app-based aggregators. It also opens up opportunities to introduce electric auto rickshaws and taxis. Drivers can access Mudra loans and benefit from bulk purchase discounts through tie-ups with vehicle manufacturers. The Bharat Taxi App will certainly improve driver livelihoods," Goyal said at the launch event.
Bharat Taxi is already operating in Delhi NCR, Gujarat, and Lucknow, and has onboarded over 517,000 drivers and around 5 million passengers across these cities. Mumbai is the platform's next major expansion, and given the scale of the city's auto and taxi ecosystem, the numbers are expected to climb significantly.
The app has already seen at least 25,000 downloads by drivers in Mumbai ahead of the full passenger launch. "Once we reach a substantial base, the passenger app will be opened, likely in the first week of May," a company official said.
