Ride-Hailing Fear: Inside Bharat Taxi Coercion Allegations In Gujarat

“I wanted to reach my hotel and did not feel comfortable cancelling the ride at midnight, but they were not allowing us to leave.”

A passenger who arrived in Ahmedabad from Pune told Inc42 while describing what happened shortly after her cab left the airport earlier this week. A group of around 10-15 people surrounded the vehicle, asked the driver to pull over, and demanded to know which app the ride had been booked through, the passenger said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, she alleged that members of the group took the driver’s phone before asking her to cancel the booking and delete Uber and Rapido apps from her phone.

“I was asked to cancel the ride and delete Uber and Rapido from my phone. They even took my phone to check whether I had actually deleted the app,” she said.

She eventually cancelled the booking, deleted the app and resumed her journey after booking a ride outside the apps. But the experience affected how she approached other rides booked through ride-hailing apps throughout her trip.

Her account is one among many shared by passengers and drivers in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar who alleged that such groups stopped vehicles and coerced passengers to cancel ongoing rides on Uber and Rapido in favour of Bharat Taxi.

The identities and affiliations of those accused, and the extent of the incidents, remain to be independently established. None of the passengers we spoke to know whether Bharat Taxi authorised or directed the alleged conduct.

Separately, Financial Express reported earlier this week (Tuesday, September 22) that cab and autorickshaw drivers in Ahmedabad began boycotting Uber and Rapido a day earlier over fares and platform charges. Many of these drivers urged passengers to use Bharat Taxi instead. However, accounts shared with Inc42 claim that disruptions predated this boycott.

Bharat Taxi did not respond to Inc42’s questions on the allegations.

What Is Bharat Taxi?

India’s first government-backed ride-hailing platform, Bharat Taxi was introduced as an alternative, offering drivers ownership and a greater say in the business thanks to a cooperative-like model.

Operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, Bharat Taxi drivers are required to buy a minimum of five shares (worth ₹500) in return for perks like dividends, health insurance, and pension. Along with a zero-commission model, its primary objective is to distribute the profits to drivers.

More importantly, the app was launched with the promise that drivers were free to work on other platforms if they wanted, in addition to Bharat Taxi. But drivers interviewed by Inc42 alleged that they were being pressured to stop accepting bookings on Uber and Rapido.

Threats Of Violence And Theft

Some drivers told Inc42 they were being pressured to use Bharat Taxi even though, in their experience, bookings on the app were insufficient to sustain their earnings.

“The problem has gone on for the past 15 days. I don’t know how I will pay EMI for my car,” one Uber driver told Inc42.

Some drivers alleged threats of violence from the nameless groups on the streets, and others alleged theft of money and valuables after the group threatened to vandalise their vehicles. Others described honeypots where alleged miscreants booked rides through Uber or Rapido and then threatened the drivers accepting these rides.

Inc42 has not independently verified these accounts of drivers, many of whom say they are afraid to approach the police because the people involved could retaliate.

“Everyone is afraid, even the passengers,” one driver said.

Some passengers described difficulties in finding rides and concerns about how their family members would handle demands to switch platforms. Many of them said they had to cancel rides after drivers refused bookings through any apps other than Bharat Taxi.

Will Police Intervention Help?

Complicating matters are conflicting social media posts which purportedly show individuals in police uniforms either urging drivers to use Bharat Taxi or advising citizens to not engage in threats and violence against drivers.

In one video circulating on social media, a person wearing a police uniform is seen encouraging drivers to download Bharat Taxi and urging customers to book through the platform. Another portion of this video highlights the app’s features such as zero commission, ₹5 Lakh in insurance cover, an option to acquire shares in the cooperative, and Gujarati-language support.

But soon after the alleged harassment blew up on social media, another video surfaced, purportedly filmed in Ahmedabad, showing a person in a police uniform warning drivers of law enforcement action if they coerce drivers or forcefully stop them during ongoing rides.

Inc42 has sent detailed questionnaires to Anupam Singh Gahlaut, Commissioner of Ahmedabad Police and Ravi Teja Vasamshetty, District Superintendent of Police, Gandhinagar, seeking responses on the alleged harassment, the circumstances surrounding the videos cited above, and steps being taken to ensure impartial policing and passenger safety. 

The nature and extent of the police action also remain to be confirmed, with the authorities yet to respond to Inc42’s questions. 

In a statement to Inc42, however, ride-hailing giant Rapido commended the role of the police and local authorities in intervening to ensure driver and passenger safety. “Every captain has the right to choose the platform they work with, and every commuter has the right to choose how they travel. Any form of intimidation or coercion undermines that choice and affects the people who depend on these services every day,” the company said.

Rapido said it was in contact with drivers in the region and supported them through its local teams and helpline. However, the company did not tell how many drivers had raised complaints about threats of violence on the ground.

For the drivers on the ground, the biggest concern right now is that such harassment in the name of Bharat Taxi will continue despite the police promising intervention.

Edited by Vinaykumar Rai 

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