The Transport Department has started taking action against companies that are running illegal app-based bike taxi services. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik recently revealed that unauthorised bike taxis are operating in Mumbai.
To investigate, Minister Sarnaik secretly booked a bike taxi through the Rapido app using a fake name. Within 10 minutes, the bike reached Shaheed Babu Genu Chowk at Mantralay to pick him up. This proved that some companies are offering bike taxi services without legal permission, even though the Transport Department had earlier denied their presence.
No Government Approval
The state government has not approved any rules for bike taxi services yet. Still, apps like Rapido, Uber, and Ola have started offering these services in Mumbai without a proper licence.
According to the law (Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2020), companies must have a licence to offer transport services. Also, under Section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act, private vehicles cannot be used to carry passengers. Doing so is illegal and can lead to punishment under Section 192.
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Risks and Government Action
Using private vehicles as taxis is not only illegal but also unsafe for passengers. This cheats both the government and the people. The Transport Commissioner’s Office is now taking steps to stop these illegal services.
Public Warning
People are advised to use only legal and licensed transport services for their own safety. A notice has also been issued by the Joint Transport Commissioner saying that strict action will be taken if anyone is found running or using these illegal services.
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