Navi Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the Bharat Taxi Service at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on Thursday, flagging off 600 cabs in the first phase.Fadnavis said the app-based passenger service operates on a zero-commission model wherein the drivers, referred to as sarathis (charioteers), own the cab and retain 100% of their fare earnings. They sarathis are also protected from surge pricing, the benefits of which were only for the aggregator and not the driver in other services.“Against this backdrop, a very transparent, safe and cheap alternative has emerged through Bharat Taxi, based on the strength of the cooperative sector. All three types of services, namely car, autorickshaw and bike taxi, have been made available through a single mobile app, and this will be a revolution that will directly connect the driver and the passenger by breaking the chain of intermediaries. While, the flexible rate fixed on the lines of black-yellow taxis of only Rs 31 for the first one and a half kilometers and Rs 21 per kilometer thereafter is affordable for the common man. Also, the taxi drivers are share holders in the co-operative and will earn dividends and a share of the platform’s profits. The cooperative-led, app-based Bharat Taxi service model ensures safety of passengers, especially women, prevents exorbitant fare demand from passengers and provides better public transport service,” Fadnavis said.Fadnavis further said, “An important MoU has been inked with Late DB Patil Sahakari Vahatuk Sangha, a union of taxi owners and drivers, wherein around 3,000 to 4,000 Project Affected People (PAP), for whose welfare the veteran PAP leader Late DB Patil strived his entire life, will be provided vehicle loan from banks for buying a taxi for their source of livelihood by enrolling the cab drivers for operating Bharat Taxi Service at NMIA.Speaking to the locals and PAPs of NMIA, Fadnavis clarified that Bike Taxi transport system will provide huge employment opportunities to the people of the region and the youth of this area. The state government has outlined a framework for an aggregator policy with digital signature, and the Cooperative Department will have control over all financial transactions. In the first phase, 600 taxis have been unveiled and the target is to reach more than 1000 taxis in the coming days. The first phase of this service is starting from two important cities of Mumbai and Pune.Fadnavis expressed his resolve to provide a safer and more pleasant experience to the passengers by taking this service to every corner of Maharashtra in the coming days. Union Minister of State (Cooperatives and Civil Aviation, Government of India) Muralidhar Mohol said, “Due to the ‘Cooperative Taxi’ organization, drivers have now become direct members and owners instead of being employees. The dividend of the organization’s profits will now be deposited directly into the drivers’ accounts. About 8 lakh drivers from across the country have been connected to this organization, and in a short period of time, Rs 77 crore has been transferred directly to the drivers’ bank accounts without any commission. After Delhi and Ghaziabad, this service has been launched in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and it will soon be expanded to Pune and Nagpur.”
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