Notices issued under IT Act as state accuses aggregators of violating EV policy, neglecting women’s safety norms, and disregarding repeated warnings.
The Maharashtra State Cyber Department has issued notices to Apple and Google seeking the removal of ride-hailing apps Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores over alleged illegal bike taxi operations in the state. The move marks a major escalation in the Maharashtra government’s action against aggregator-based bike taxi services.
The notices, issued on May 15 by the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, invoke Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The companies have been directed to “remove and disable access” to the apps from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The action comes after Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik wrote to the Cyber Department on May 12 seeking action against bike taxi platforms operating in the state.
According to Maharashtra Cyber, bike taxi services run through these applications are “unlawful and in violation of the existing legal and regulatory framework”. The notices alleged that the platforms were operating passenger transport services without obtaining necessary permissions, approvals or complying with rules laid down by the Transport Department and the Motor Vehicles Act.
Authorities also raised concerns regarding passenger safety, stating that driver verification systems, insurance safeguards, women’s safety measures and emergency response mechanisms were “highly inadequate”.
“Recently, a serious incident came to light wherein a bike taxi service operated through one of these applications allegedly resulted in the tragic death of a woman. A criminal case has been registered in this regard,” the notices stated, adding that several such cases have reportedly surfaced across Maharashtra.
The notices further warned Apple and Google that failure to comply with directions issued by Indian law enforcement agencies could attract legal action under provisions of the IT Act and intermediary liability rules.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Pratap Sarnaik confirmed that the state government had initiated the process through Maharashtra Cyber. “We have sent letters through Maharashtra Cyber to Google and Apple regarding these apps. Bike taxis are operating illegally in Maharashtra and action is being taken accordingly,” he said.
The Maharashtra government has consistently maintained over the past few weeks that bike taxi services are not legally permitted under the current regulatory framework in the state. The crackdown also comes amid growing political scrutiny of app-based transport services, with authorities recently initiating action against private bus aggregators and unauthorised transport applications over alleged fare irregularities.
While cab, auto-rickshaw and food delivery services offered through these platforms continue to function, the current notices specifically target bike taxi operations.
Earlier, Pratap Sarnaik had said that the crackdown was aimed at ensuring passenger safety and promoting Maharashtra’s broader Electric Vehicle transport policy. He stated that the government wants bike taxi services to operate using electric vehicles rather than petrol-powered bikes, but noted that the share of EVs in the sector remains extremely low.
He further stressed that “women’s safety is more important than employment,” while referring to recent complaints against bike taxi riders, including allegations of misconduct involving women passengers and multiple police complaints registered across the state.
Sarnaik clarified that the government is not against bike taxis as a concept, but claimed that aggregators such as Ola, Uber and Rapido failed to comply with Maharashtra’s EV bike taxi policy despite being given temporary permissions and sufficient time to regularise their operations and submit the required documents.
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