Maharashtra Government Cancels Provisional Licences Of Bike Taxi Firms Uber, Rapido And Ola; Gig Workers’ Forum Hails Decision
Maharashtra Govt Orders Crackdown On Illegal Bike Taxi Services Like Ola, Uber And Rapido
Pune, March 9, 2026: In a major move against illegal bike taxi operations, the Government of Maharashtra has cancelled the provisional licences granted to Uber India Systems Pvt. Ltd., Roppen Transportation Services Pvt. Ltd. (Rapido) and ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Ola) for operating bike taxi services in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The announcement was made in the Legislative Council by Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik while responding to a query raised under Rule 93 by member Sunil Shinde.
According to the minister, the state has already notified the Maharashtra E-Bike Taxi Rules, 2024, under which bike taxi services are required to operate with 100 percent electric vehicles. Some companies had been granted provisional licences for 30 days to obtain final approval and comply with the regulatory conditions.
However, the companies allegedly started operations without fulfilling the mandatory requirements, prompting the state government to revoke their provisional permits.
The decision has been welcomed by the Bharatiya Gig Kamgar Manch and several rickshaw and cab driver associations, who described it as a major victory after a prolonged campaign against illegal bike taxi services.
The workers’ forum had repeatedly submitted representations to the government and staged protests, hunger strikes and demonstrations, claiming that illegal bike taxi services were affecting the livelihoods of thousands of auto-rickshaw and cab drivers.
The issue also gained attention following several reported accidents involving bike taxis, some of which resulted in fatalities and serious injuries. In several cases, victims and their families allegedly did not receive adequate insurance protection.
Commenting on the development, forum president Dr. Keshav Nana Kshirsagar said the decision is a significant victory for gig workers and transport drivers. He stated that illegal bike taxi operations had severely impacted the livelihoods of rickshaw and cab drivers while also raising serious safety concerns for passengers and riders.
Driver unions expressed hope that the government’s action will bring relief to transport workers and ensure stricter compliance with regulations in the passenger transport sector in the future.
