Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 16: Cracking down on illegal bike taxi operations, the Maharashtra government has written to Google and Apple seeking the removal of applications such as Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores over alleged unauthorised bike taxi services in the state.

In a communication sent by the office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, the department stated that several app-based platforms were operating passenger transport services through bike taxis on a large scale without obtaining valid permissions, government approvals or complying with transport regulations and provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act.

The Maharashtra cyber department said the unauthorised bike taxi operations posed a serious threat to passenger safety. It alleged that driver verification mechanisms, insurance protections, women’s safety measures and emergency response systems were inadequate.

The department also pointed to rash and negligent driving linked to such services, claiming they posed a significant risk to public safety. It referred to a recent incident in which a woman allegedly died while using a bike taxi service operated through one of the applications. Police said a criminal case had been registered in connection with the incident, while several similar cases had reportedly surfaced across Maharashtra.

Authorities further stated that the bike taxi services were being operated primarily for financial gain while allegedly disregarding the legal framework in the state. The department urged Google and Apple to remove the applications and disable access to them through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

The notice warned that since the companies maintain a business presence in India, they are subject to Indian laws and could face legal action for non-compliance with directives issued by law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Saturday directed the cyber department to register FIRs against Ola, Uber and Rapido over their bike taxi operations in the state.

The action came amid claims circulating on social media that services of these app-based aggregators had been completely shut down in Maharashtra.

However, the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations clarified in a post on X that the government’s action was limited only to illegal bike taxi operations.

“The claim circulating on social media that all services of Ola, Uber and Rapido have been completely shut down in Maharashtra is misleading,” the department said.