Maharashtra bans bike taxi services run by Rapido, Ola and Uber over rule violations

Maharashtra has banned bike taxi services operated through platforms such as Rapido, Ola and Uber across the state, with the order coming into effect from March 9.

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the issue of illegal bike taxi operations was raised in the Legislative Council, where the government presented details about the action being taken against such services.

In a statement in Marathi, Sarnaik said licences for bike taxi services have been granted only to environment-friendly electric two-wheelers. Petrol-powered bike taxis are considered completely illegal, and the transport department has started taking penal action against such vehicles.

He also said that instead of filing cases against individual drivers, the government is planning to register offences against the companies operating the services.

Bike taxi services run by companies like Rapido, Ola and Uber have faced regulatory challenges in several Indian states. Delhi and Karnataka have previously suspended or banned such operations due to lack of commercial permits, while some states including Tamil Nadu and Haryana have also imposed restrictions.

However, states such as Goa, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh allow bike taxi operations under specific regulatory frameworks.