Maharashtra Orders Crackdown On Illegal Bike Taxi Apps
The minister wrote to the Additional Director General of Police of the Maharashtra Cyber Department regarding the alleged illegal operation of bike taxi services through mobile applications.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has ordered strict action against unauthorised bike taxi services operating through apps such as Ola, Uber and Rapido, with Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik directing their immediate shutdown and the registration of FIRs against company owners.
In a letter to the Maharashtra Cyber Department, Mr Sarnaik said several bike taxi platforms had been operating for months without valid permits, government approval or compliance with Transport Department regulations, posing serious risks to passenger safety.
The minister wrote to the Additional Director General of Police of the Maharashtra Cyber Department regarding the alleged illegal operation of bike taxi services through mobile applications.
In the letter, Mr Sarnaik said passenger transport services were being offered through various apps without adhering to mandatory regulatory requirements. He noted a sharp rise in the number of unauthorised bike taxis, particularly those operated by companies such as Rapido, calling the issue a matter of grave public concern.
He further alleged that these services lacked adequate safeguards for passengers, including proper driver verification, insurance coverage, women’s safety measures and emergency response systems, thereby posing a serious threat to public safety.
Referring to a recent accident, the minister said a woman had died after an unauthorised bike taxi met with an accident on the Mulund-Goregaon Link Road in Mumbai on November 29, 2025. “An FIR has been registered at Navghar Police Station in connection with the accident. Similar cases are being reported at various police stations,” the letter stated.
Mr Sarnaik also alleged that the apps were openly violating government transport regulations and carrying out financial transactions illegally, resulting in unfair losses to licensed auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers. He described the proliferation of unauthorised bike taxi services as a serious challenge to the state’s transport system.
The letter called for the immediate shutdown of the online operations of unauthorised bike taxi apps and sought strict action against app companies, drivers and management under the Information Technology Act and the Motor Vehicles Act.
