Chhava Ride: Maharashtra’s New Government-Run App to Take on Ola & Uber

The Maharashtra government is preparing to roll out “Chhava Ride”, its first state-run ride‑hailing app managed by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), to rival private aggregators like Ola and Uber. The app, approved under central and state aggregator guidelines, will integrate autorickshaw, taxi, e‑bike and even bus services into a single, transparent platform. It aims to ensure safe journeys for passengers, fair earnings for drivers and generate employment for local Marathi‑speaking youth.

The name “Chhava Ride” was unanimously finalised at a high‑level meeting involving Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. The initiative includes subsidised vehicle loans, Mumbai Bank offering 10% interest and various state corporations providing an additional 11% subsidy, as part of the driver empowerment strategy. A key design and framework meeting took place on August 5, with final formal approvals imminent.