Maharashtra to crack down on illegal bike taxi apps, FIRs likely against company owners

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has directed strict action against illegal bike taxi operations in the state urging the Cyber Crime Department to immediately block unauthorised apps and initiate FIRs against company ownersLetter issued to Maharashtra Cyber DepartmentIn a letter to the Additional Director General of the Maharashtra Cyber Department Sarnaik demanded action against bike taxi services operating without valid permission or compliance with Transport Department regulations The Transport Commissioner has also issued a similar directiveConcerns over passenger safety raisedThe minister flagged rising use of unauthorised platforms particularly Rapidolike services calling it a serious public safety concern due to lack of driver verification insurance cover womenrsquos safety safeguards and emergency response systemsReference to fatal MulundGoregaon accidentCiting a recent fatal accident on the MulundndashGoregaon Link Road where a woman died in a bike taxi crash Sarnaik noted that an FIR has already been registered in the caseHe added that similar incidents have been reported across multiple police stationsImpact on licensed transport operatorsThe Transport Department has also raised concerns over financial transactions carried out by these apps in violation of motor vehicle norms stating that such operations are adversely impacting licensed autorickshaw and taxi driversDemand for strict legal actionThe minister has sought immediate shutdown of unauthorised apps and strict legal action under the Information Technology Act and Motor Vehicles Act against companies drivers and managementGovernmentrsquos strong warningldquoThe state government will not tolerate any illegal transport system that compromises public safetyrdquo Sarnaik saidMaharashtra govt cancels provisional licences of Rapido Uber Ola bike taxi services over illegal operationsEarlier in March the Maharashtra government cancelled the provisional licences of several bike taxi service providers operating in Mumbai and surrounding areas after finding that they were running services without complying with the prescribed regulationsPratap Sarnaik informed the Legislative Council that strict action will be taken against companies violating transport normsThe action was taken amid increasing scrutiny of bike taxi operators in the state and concerns about compliance with safety regulations and licensing requirementsGovernment cancels provisional licences for noncomplianceResponding to a calling attention motion raised by MLC Sunil Shinde under Rule 93 Sarnaik said that the provisional licences issued to certain companies were cancelled after authorities found irregularities in their operationsThe companies whose provisional permissions were withdrawn include Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd and ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd