NEMBHARAT Set To Launch India’s First Trust-Governed National Mobility Platform

Influenced by mentorship received in 2019 from the late Ratan N Tata, the model focuses on income certainty for vehicle partners and transparent pricing for riders

Mumbai : NEMBHARAT (National Economic & Electric Mobility), an initiative for a sustainable Intelligent Public Mobility Systems chalks out plans to roll out a national on-demand mobility platform across the country. The organisation framed the initiative within India’s ongoing policy debate on platform accountability, gig worker welfare and consumer protection in the digital mobility sector. NEMBHARAT will be operated by World Economic Mobility Limited (WEML) and governed by the NARAYANIHITI Trust, entering a market where app-based mobility services have scaled rapidly while regulatory frameworks for gig workers and commuter protections remain under development. The NEMBHARAT model is designed to prioritise driver income certainty and rider rights through transparent pricing and institutional governance. “NEMBHARAT platform will operate on a prepaid, cashless architecture with zero subscriptions and zero commissions, with the aim of standardising the mobility framework and providing clarity on driver take-home earnings.The intention is to reduce uncertainty in earnings and pricing, and to establish a seamless, secure, sustainable and accountable mobility framework for drivers and commuters,” said Deepak K Shah, Director & CEO, WEML, adding that Shri Ratan N Tata’s mentorship and guidance in 2019 has shaped WEML into a purpose-led ownership model that safeguards workforce dignity while ensuring economic growth advances national and social good.
The initiative forms part of WEML’s broader ‘National Mobility Infrastructure Ecosystem Built Programme’, which has been built to integrate on-demand urban transport with tourism, hospitality and civil aviation movement services. The interoperable mobility systems will be necessary as digital platforms increasingly shape urban and intercity travel.
According to Dr. Kanchi Sharma, Director & COO, WEML “ The framework has been built as a public-good mobility infrastructure, with provisions intended to support gig workers’ access to social security while addressing common commuter concerns such as pricing volatility, service transparency and grievance redressal.” The platform will also align with emerging policy discussions on platform governance and consumer protection standards under the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), added Sharma.
The NARAYANIHITI Trust is the majority shareholder and philanthropic promoter of WEML. The governance structure is designed to align commercial operations with public-interest objectives.