Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is preparing to expand the Bharat Taxi cooperative model from Lucknow and Kanpur to all 75 districts of the state, with plans to eventually extend the service to rural areas as well.
The initiative, being developed on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, aims to create a wider organised transport network offering bike, auto and cab services. The model is proposed to operate through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), enabling its reach to extend beyond cities and district headquarters into villages.
A key feature of the proposed Bharat Taxi model is a zero-commission system for drivers and no-surge pricing for passengers. Under the cooperative approach, drivers, or ‘sarathis’, are envisaged as stakeholders in the business rather than merely service providers.
For passengers, the no-surge pricing mechanism is intended to provide an alternative to sharp fare increases during peak-demand periods. The service could be particularly useful for people travelling within districts or between districts, as well as those requiring transport to railway stations, bus terminals, airports, hospitals, markets and other destinations.
The proposed statewide expansion would also give residents of smaller towns an organised taxi service option. Through PACS, the government plans to take the model to villages, where public and private transport choices are often more limited.
The cooperative structure is also expected to create local livelihood opportunities linked to vehicle operations in rural areas. By connecting transport services with existing cooperative institutions, the government aims to build a broader network covering both urban and rural communities.
The expansion plan positions Bharat Taxi as a two-sided model, offering passengers greater access to transport while giving drivers a stake in the business. The proposed rollout from Lucknow to all 75 districts is expected to widen the availability of organised mobility services across Uttar Pradesh.
