Maharashtra Takes Action Against Illegal Bike Taxi Firms Rules In Other States

The Maharashtra government has taken strict action against companies operating illegal bike taxi services in Mumbai and nearby areas. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that provisional licences granted to certain operators have been cancelled after authorities found that they were not following the rules laid down by the state.
The issue came up in the Maharashtra Legislative Council by member Sunil Shinde under Rule 93. In response, the state government explained that a policy already exists for such services, but companies are required to meet specific conditions before they can legally operate.

Maharashtra’s Policy On Bike Taxi Services: Sarnaik said the state has framed its bike taxi policy based on the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines issued by the central government in 2020. Following this, the state cabinet approved the “Maharashtra E-Bike Taxi Rules, 2024” on August 7, 2024. Under these rules, bike taxi services are permitted only in cities with a population of more than one lakh.
But the policy clearly states that bike taxis must be 100 per cent electric vehicles. Companies are also required to complete certain formalities and obtain final licences before they can begin regular operations.

Companies Given Temporary Licences:As part of the implementation process, the government had granted 30-day provisional licences to some major ride-hailing platforms to operate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
These included Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, Rapido Transportation Services Pvt Ltd and ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd (Ola). The provisional permission was meant to give companies time to complete all required procedures and apply for final approval.
But the transport department later found that some operators had started services without fulfilling the necessary conditions.

Complaints Of Accidents And Safety Concerns:Authorities also received several complaints related to the operation of bike taxis. Some reports involved accidents while others raised concerns about the safety of passengers, especially women.
Following these complaints, the transport department issued notices to the companies involved. In certain instances, police complaints were also filed against operators found violating the rules.

Enforcement Action And Fines:The state government has also instructed Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and deputy RTOs across Maharashtra to take strict action against illegal bike taxi operations.
Special inspection teams have been set up to identify vehicles running such services without permission. According to the transport department, action has been taken against 130 two-wheelers since April 2024, and authorities have collected more than Rs 33 lakh in fines from violators.

When The Minister Personally Tested Rapido:The issue of illegal bike taxi services had earlier drawn attention in June last year when Sarnaik conducted checks on his own. The transport department had reportedly informed him that no unauthorised app-based bike taxi services were operating in the state.
To verify this claim, Sarnaik booked a ride through the Rapido app using a fake name. Within around 10 minutes, a Rapido rider arrived at Shahid Babu Genu junction near the state secretariat in Mumbai to pick up the supposed customer, unaware that it was the transport minister himself. The incident exposed that such services were indeed operating despite official claims.

How Other States Are Regulating Bike Taxis:Different states in India have taken varied approaches to regulating bike taxi services.
In Delhi, the government banned petrol and diesel bike taxis operated through apps like Ola, Uber and Rapido in 2023, citing violations of the Motor Vehicles Act and passenger safety concerns. Violations can attract fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. But the focus is gradually shifting towards electric two-wheelers.
In Goa, traditional locally-run motorcycle taxis known as “pilots” are still allowed to operate. But the state government banned large app-based aggregators like Ola and Uber in June last year to protect local taxi operators.
West Bengal has not banned bike taxis but regulates them strictly. Vehicles must have commercial registration, valid permits, fitness certificates and yellow number plates. Authorities can take action against private bikes operating as taxis without these approvals.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the High Court in January set aside a blanket ban on bike taxi services that had been imposed in June 2025. The court ruled that such services should be regulated rather than completely prohibited under the Motor Vehicles Act.