Maharashtra Transport Minister’s Sting Operation Exposes Rapido’s Illegal Bike-Taxi Operations
Maharashtra Transport Minister's Sting Operation Exposes Rapido's Illegal Bike-Taxi Operations
In a dramatic sting operation, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik exposed the illegal operation of bike taxis by app-based platform Rapido in Mumbai, despite official claims that no such unauthorised services were running in the state.
Under Maharashtra’s newly introduced e-bike taxi policy, only companies operating electric bikes and meeting strict regulatory conditions are permitted to provide bike taxi services. Petrol-powered or non-electric bike taxis are explicitly banned. However, several services continue to operate in violation of this rule.
To verify the ground reality, Sarnaik posed as a customer and booked a ride on Rapido using a fictitious name. Within ten minutes, a rider arrived at Shahid Babu Genu junction, near the state secretariat, completely unaware that the ‘passenger’ was the state’s transport minister.
The operation starkly contradicted the transport department’s written assurance to the minister that no illegal app-based bike taxis were operating in Mumbai or elsewhere in Maharashtra. Sarnaik’s hands-on investigation has now placed the department under scrutiny for either overlooking or ignoring the presence of these services.
The incident has raised serious concerns over passenger safety, the lack of legal oversight, and misleading reports from transport officials. It also brings to the forefront the urgent need for better enforcement of the new e-bike taxi policy.
As public demand for affordable, last-mile mobility grows, the incident underscores the importance of clear guidelines and stricter monitoring. Citizens now await concrete action—both against non-compliant companies and the officials who provided inaccurate information to the minister.
