Ahmedabad commuters face cab woes as many drivers insist on only Bharat Taxi

Ahmedabad: Passengers in Ahmedabad have reported difficulties booking cabs amid a boycott of Ola, Uber and Rapido by taxi and autorickshaw drivers, with several commuters saying they are being “arm-twisted” into using Bharat Taxi, while others have raised concerns over higher fares and limited availability.

The boycott began on September 21, with driver unions protesting what they describe as low fares and high charges imposed by established cab aggregators. Drivers have been asking passengers to use Bharat Taxi, a newer ride-hailing platform operating on a cooperative model.

A post by Kumar Manish on X said he received a message from an Uber driver after accepting a ride and then dropping the booking. The driver reportedly told him that bookings should be made through Bharat Taxi because cabs from other platforms would not be available. Manish described the development as a “scam/arm-twisting” situation and argued that consumers should either have a choice of cab aggregators or that all aggregators should be banned.

Another passenger took to X and shared that a driver had asked a passenger to book the ride through Bharat Taxi. When the passenger said Bharat Taxi was showing a fare three times higher, the driver allegedly asked him to cancel the existing booking.

Other passengers also took to social media to describe their experiences. Sanjay Bengani said drivers were initially accepting rides on Ola and Uber but then telling passengers to book through Bharat Taxi, adding that drivers had decided to do so and “can’t be forced” otherwise.

Palash Upadhyay said he had booked rides through multiple apps, except Bharat Taxi, but could not get a cab and eventually took a Rapido bike. He claimed Bharat Taxi had the highest fares.

Another X user, Rushil Vyas, said he checked fares the previous night and found Bharat Taxi fares to be around ₹100 higher than Uber for an economy cab, prompting him to use Rapido instead.

The issue also drew criticism from users questioning the pricing and competitive dynamics. Hemal said cab-pricing competition and the success of UPI were different issues and argued that global players could not simply be displaced by creating a market for a platform charging twice the price. In response, another user said Bharat Taxi’s approach could “backfire sooner or later”.

Another user had flagged the issue earlier, saying Ahmedabad’s taxi and autorickshaw associations appeared to be supporting only Bharat Taxi because the platform had accepted their existing rate card without changes. He said the development was affecting passengers’ choices and that he was considering switching to the Metro, AMTS and BRTS.

Another passenger said Ola and Rapido drivers had been told not to accept rides. He also criticised Bharat Taxi’s service, including what he described as a lack of clarity over fares and an instance in which a driver allegedly asked him to pay the airport toll.

The boycott is being led by driver unions protesting what they describe as exploitation by established aggregators. Vijay Makwana, president of the Ahmedabad Rickshaw Ekta Union, said the boycott would continue. Earlier this month, taxi and autorickshaw drivers in Ahmedabad had also observed a four-day strike over similar concerns.

According to union estimates, Ahmedabad has around one lakh autorickshaws and 30,000-40,000 taxis registered with cab aggregators. Narendra Patel, working president of the Ahmedabad Taxi Driver Union, said fares offered by established aggregators were not sustainable for drivers. He said Bharat Taxi charges minimal fees to drivers and that passengers also receive insurance coverage for rides.

However, the shift has raised concerns among passengers over fares. A passenger told the media that she recently paid more than ₹850 for a Bharat Taxi ride from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar, while her return journey on Rapido cost around ₹425.

Bharat Taxi fares, which were earlier lower, have increased recently. According to Narendra Patel, the decision was taken at a September 10 meeting attended by Bharat Taxi representatives, although there has been no official confirmation of this.

At Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, a pre-paid taxi driver said only pre-paid taxis and Bharat Taxis were currently operating amid the boycott.

The development comes as Bharat Taxi attempts to establish itself in a market dominated by Ola, Uber and Rapido. The platform’s trial run in Gujarat began nearly a year ago, while it was formally launched nationally in June this year by Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Despite its cooperative model and support from sections of the driver community, Bharat Taxi remains considerably smaller than the established platforms in terms of app downloads, rides and visibility. DeshGujarat