RTO to begin crackdown on bike taxis in Mumbai, MMR

The order by the state transport commissioner’s office directed the RTO to catch bike taxis that continue to operate even though the service is yet to be legalised in the state

Mumbai: The Regional Transport Offices (RTO) will now start a crackdown on bike taxis across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) following an internal order issued by the state transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar’s office on Thursday. The order directed the RTO to catch bike taxis that continue to operate even though the service is yet to be legalised in the state.

Officials at the state transport commissioner’s office said that Rapido, Ola and Uber are ferrying passengers without obtaining mandatory permits.

The order asks citizens not to use the bike taxis and urges them to prioritise their safety. “We have asked the RTOs to take strict action against the unauthorised operations of bike taxis,” said a transport department officer.

Officials at the state transport commissioner’s office said that Rapido, Ola and Uber are ferrying passengers without obtaining mandatory permits. The internal order read, “As per section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, it is mandatory for such companies to obtain proper permits. Under section 66, private motor vehicles cannot be used for passenger transport, and doing so may attract legal action.”

This comes a day after transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, under an alias, booked a Rapido bike taxi from the Mantralaya to Dadar and found the service operating without permission. Last month, police cases were registered against Uber and Rapido for operating illegal bike taxi services.

The state government is in the process of drafting rules and regulations regarding bike taxi operations in the state, and is open to suggestions and objections from the public.