- By Priyanka Koul
- Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:18 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ola, Rapido, Uber E-Bikes: The Maharashtra government has taken strong measures against companies running illegal bike taxi services in Mumbai and its surrounding areas. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that provisional licences issued to some operators have been revoked after authorities discovered they were failing to comply with state regulations.
Why Did Maharashtra Cancel Ola, Rapido, Uber's Bike Taxi Licences?
Maharashtra's bike taxi policy was announced in accordance with 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 only allowed in cities with populations exceeding one lakh.
The policy clearly mandates that bike taxis must be entirely electric vehicles. Furthermore, companies must complete specific procedures and secure final licences before starting regular operations.
To facilitate the transition, the government had issued 30-day provisional licences to several major ride-hailing platforms, permitting them to operate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
These platforms included Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, Rapido Transportation Services Pvt Ltd, and ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd (Ola). The provisional licences were granted to allow these companies time to fulfil necessary requirements and apply for final authorisation.
However, it was later discovered by the transport department that some operators had begun providing services without meeting the stipulated conditions.
Additionally, multiple complaints regarding bike taxi operations were received. Some of these complaints involved accidents, while others raised concerns about passenger safety, particularly regarding female riders.
In response to these complaints, the transport department issued notices to the involved companies. In certain cases, police complaints were also filed against operators found in breach of the rules.
The state government has now instructed Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and deputy RTOs across Maharashtra to take robust action against illegal bike taxi operations.
Special inspection teams have been established to identify vehicles operating these services without proper authorisation. According to the transport department, 130 two-wheelers have been penalised since April 2024, with fines exceeding Rs 33 lakh collected.
The issue of illegal bike taxis first came to light in June last year when Transport Minister Sarnaik carried out his own inspections. The transport department had previously informed him that no unauthorised app-based bike taxi services were operating in the state.
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To verify this, Sarnaik booked a ride using the Rapido app under a false name. In around 10 minutes, a Rapido rider arrived at Shahid Babu Genu junction near the state secretariat in Mumbai to pick up the so-called customer, unaware that it was the transport minister himself. This incident revealed that such services were indeed operating, despite official assurances to the contrary.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, the government banned petrol and diesel bike taxis operated through apps such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido in 2023, citing violations of the Motor Vehicles Act and concerns about passenger safety. Fines for such infractions range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. However, the focus is gradually shifting towards the use of electric two-wheelers.