Mumbai: Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has directed the state cyber crime department to immediately shut down unauthorised bike taxi apps operated by aggregators like Ola, Uber and Rapido, intensifying the government’s crackdown on illegal transport services in the state.
In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of Police (Cyber Crime), with a copy marked to the Director General of Police, Sarnaik said bike taxi services are operating illegally in Maharashtra without mandatory government approvals.
The minister also ordered authorities to register cases against app companies, drivers and operators under the Information Technology Act and the Motor Vehicles Act.
Sarnaik stated that app-based bike taxi operators are openly violating state transport regulations while continuing financial transactions through their platforms. He said these unauthorised services are negatively affecting the livelihood of licensed auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers across Maharashtra.
The minister further raised concerns over passenger safety, claiming that many bike taxi services fail to follow proper safety protocols.
“There are no adequate safeguards such as driver verification, insurance coverage, women’s safety mechanisms or emergency response systems,” Sarnaik reportedly said in the letter.
The transport minister also referred to a recent accident on Mumbai’s Bandra Link Road on April 22, where a woman reportedly lost her life while travelling on an unauthorised bike taxi.
Calling the issue serious, Sarnaik demanded immediate action against companies linked to bike taxi operations, including Ola, Uber and Rapido.
Bike taxis are currently not permitted to operate in Maharashtra under existing transport rules. Despite this, several app-based aggregators have continued offering bike taxi services through their platforms, leading to repeated objections from transport unions and licensed taxi operators.
The latest directive is expected to escalate tensions between app-based mobility companies and the Maharashtra government in the coming days.