The Maharashtra government has intensified its crackdown on app-based bike taxi services by asking Apple and Google to remove ride-hailing applications such as Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores.
The Maharashtra government has intensified its crackdown on app-based bike taxi services by asking Apple and Google to remove ride-hailing applications such as Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores over alleged illegal operations in the state.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Maharashtra Cyber department issued notices to Apple and Google on May 15 directing them to “remove and disable access” to the applications under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The notices claimed that bike taxi services facilitated through these platforms were operating without the necessary approvals and in violation of transport regulations and the Motor Vehicles Act.
According to the report, the action came after Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik wrote to the Cyber Department on May 12 seeking intervention against bike taxi aggregators operating in the state.
The move marks a major escalation in the state government’s ongoing dispute with app-based transport companies.
Safety and regulatory concerns
In the notices sent to Apple and Google, Maharashtra Cyber alleged that the platforms had failed to comply with the legal and regulatory framework governing passenger transport services in the state.
The report said that authorities also raised concerns about passenger safety, claiming that driver verification systems, insurance protection, emergency response mechanisms and women’s safety measures were inadequate in these services.
The notices further referred to a recent incident in which a woman allegedly died while using a bike taxi service. A criminal case had been registered in connection with the matter.
The notices warned that failure to comply with directions issued by Indian law enforcement agencies could lead to legal action under the IT Act and intermediary liability rules.
Government push for EV bike taxis
The government has justified the action with Sarnaik saying that this measure is aimed at ensuring passenger safety and implementing Maharashtra’s electric vehicle transport policy. He said that the state supports bike taxis in principle, but only if operators comply with regulations and use electric vehicles, the report said.
According to the minister, aggregators were given temporary permissions to regularise their operations and submit required documents, but they allegedly failed to do so. He claimed that thousands of petrol-powered bike taxis continue to operate illegally despite the policy allowing only electric bike taxis, the report said.
According to the report, the minister also alleged that Rapido had introduced a scheme under which riders were promised reimbursement for fines imposed during transport inspections. He said such practices encouraged continued illegal operations.
While cab, auto and food delivery services offered by the platforms remain unaffected, the government’s latest action specifically targets bike taxi services operating through these apps.
First Published:
May 16, 2026, 13:59 IST
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