In a significant crackdown on unregulated transport services, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced on Wednesday that he has instructed the state transport department to file formal cases against prominent app-based bike taxi aggregators, including Rapido and Uber.
Directive Against Illegal Bike Taxi Operations
The minister's directive comes in response to what he described as repeated violations of government regulations, which have allegedly put passenger lives at risk. Sarnaik explicitly pointed to the illegal operation of bike taxis without the mandatory yellow number plates, the use of electric bikes for commercial passenger transport, and frequent instances where neither riders nor pillion passengers were wearing helmets.
He revealed that First Information Reports (FIRs) have already been registered in two specific instances within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR)—one against Uber and another against Rapido. Officials from both companies were not immediately available to comment on the allegations.
Safety Concerns and a Fatal Incident
In an official media statement, Minister Sarnaik connected the government's recent announcement of an e-bike policy to the surge in operations by several app-based companies. However, he accused them of exploiting the policy by using private or regular bikes to ferry passengers.
"They are providing passenger services... by appointing drivers without giving them any training regarding regulations and passenger safety. This is extremely dangerous," Sarnaik stated. He underscored the gravity of the situation by referring to a recent incident where a passenger died while traveling in such an illegal bike taxi. He expressed dismay that despite this tragic event, companies continue to flout rules.
The transport ministry has received several complaints on this matter, which prompted the minister's decisive action. He has ordered that cases be filed directly against the entities running these illegal businesses, rather than just focusing on individual drivers.
A Stern Warning and a Path to Compliance
Sarnaik issued a clear warning to aggregator companies, stating that their model of circumventing rules in other states would not be tolerated in Maharashtra. "The way these companies operate illegal businesses in other states of the country by circumventing govt rules will not work in Maharashtra," he asserted.
However, the minister also outlined a path forward for legitimate operations. He affirmed that the state government would fully support app-based bike taxi companies that choose to grow their business by adhering to all prescribed rules and safety standards. The key conditions are prioritizing passenger safety and ensuring drivers are not exploited.
In a move to increase accountability, Sarnaik announced a shift in legal strategy. Instead of primarily filing cases against drivers caught operating illegal bike taxis, the authorities will now target the owners of the app-based companies to which those vehicles are linked. This approach aims to hold the aggregator platforms directly responsible for compliance.
