BJP MLC announces ‘Devabhau’ and ‘Chhava’ taxi services for Mumbai

BJP MLC Pravin Darekar on Monday announced that cooperative taxi services named Devabhau Taxi and Chhava Taxi will soon be launched in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region MMR with the stated objective of providing an alternative to private appbased cab aggregators and increasing earnings for driversAccording to Darekar the initiative is being developed on the lines of the Bharat Taxi model and is expected to reduce the commission burden imposed by private ridehailing platforms while allowing drivers to retain ownership of their vehiclesHowever the proposal has triggered criticism from social activist Anjali Damania and the Congress both of whom have raised concerns about the use of funds from Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank and the political branding associated with the schemeCooperative taxi model aimed at supporting driversAddressing reporters Darekar said the proposed service seeks to create a drivercentric transport network that would operate through a cooperative structureHe argued that private aggregators charge substantial commissions from drivers and vehicle owners reducing their earnings The new model he said would allow profits to flow directly to drivers and vehicle owners while offering passengers a competitive and reliable transportation serviceDarekar said the initiative has received policylevel support from the Maharashtra government and that operational preparations are already underwayInitial rollout to cover Mumbai metropolitan regionThe BJP legislator said the first phase of the project is expected to include between 2000 and 5000 vehicles operating across Mumbai and the wider MMR regionThe service is being promoted under the slogan Apali Taxi Apali Malaki Our Taxi Our Ownership with the emphasis on ensuring that participating drivers remain owners of their vehicles rather than working under thirdparty operatorsAccording to Darekar individuals holding valid driving licences as well as existing vehicle owners will be eligible to participate in the schemeLoan assistance planned through Mumbai BankA key component of the proposal involves financial support for prospective taxi operatorsDarekar who serves as chairman of Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank said eligible applicants would be able to obtain vehicle purchase loans from the bank at an interest rate of 10 per centThe proposal also includes interest reimbursement support through various statebacked corporations including the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation OBC Corporation Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes Corporation and Maharashtra State Development CorporationAccording to Darekar these subsidies could significantly reduce the effective borrowing cost for beneficiaries and encourage greater participation in the schemeAnjali Damania raises concerns over fundingSocial activist Anjali Damania questioned the use of Mumbai Banks resources for the project and objected to the naming of the proposed serviceIn a social media post she asked whether funds belonging to depositors were being used to support a politically branded commercial ventureDamania argued that ordinary citizens farmers and small entrepreneurs often face difficulties in obtaining loans and questioned whether similar standards would be applied to applicants under the taxi schemeShe also demanded greater transparency regarding loan eligibility criteria interest rates approval processes and any potential conflicts of interestCongress seeks greater transparencyThe Congress echoed many of Damanias concerns and called for greater disclosure regarding the financial structure of the projectMaharashtra Congress general secretary Dhananjay Shinde said Mumbai Bank belongs to its depositors and stakeholders and should not be perceived as serving political interestsHe argued that questions surrounding the use of depositor funds beneficiary selection mechanisms and political branding require detailed public clarificationShinde also called for complete transparency in the banks decisionmaking process and urged authorities to disclose the financial blueprint of the project including loan approval procedures and safeguards against conflicts of interestDebate likely to continue as project moves forwardThe announcement has sparked a broader discussion about the role of cooperative institutions in supporting employment generation and transportation servicesSupporters of the initiative argue that it could provide new livelihood opportunities particularly for local youth while offering an alternative to private cab aggregators Critics however contend that questions regarding financing governance and branding need to be addressed before the project is implementedAs registration for the proposed service progresses attention is likely to remain focused on how the scheme will be funded regulated and administered as well as the extent to which it can compete with established ridehailing platforms operating in Mumbai and neighbouring regionsWith inputs from PTI