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Pune RTO warns Rapido to get licence or stop bike-taxi ops
RTO has also warned two-wheeler owners against registering their private vehicles on the platform, cautioning that vehicles found operating as unauthorised bike-taxis will face action under the Motor Vehicles Act and relevant rules
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The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has appealed to denizens of Pune- city and district to stop using Rapido’s bike-taxi services, stating that the company does not hold a valid bike-taxi aggregator licence to operate in the district. The transport department has also warned two-wheeler owners against registering their private vehicles on the platform, cautioning that vehicles found operating as unauthorised bike-taxis will face action under the Motor Vehicles Act and relevant rules.
In a public notice issued on October 26 by regional transport officer Archana Gaikwad, the RTO said that Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd, which operates Rapido, has been conducting bike-taxi operations in Pune without obtaining the necessary aggregator licence.
The notice follows a meeting held on October 15 under the chairmanship of Pune collector and regional transport authority (RTA) chairman Jitendra Dudi, attended by authority members, representatives of aggregator companies and representatives of autorickshaw and taxi unions. During the meeting, Dudi directed Rapido to immediately and completely discontinue its unauthorised bike-taxi operations in Pune district till such time it secures the required e-bike-taxi aggregator licence. He also instructed that a police case be registered against the company in the event it is found continuing its operations without permission. Despite these directions, Rapido continued to offer bike-taxi services through its app, prompting the Pune RTO to register a case against the company on October 16, 2026.
Gaikwad said, “The company has not obtained a valid bike-taxi aggregator licence for Pune district. Despite being directed to completely stop its unauthorised operations till such time it receives the necessary permission, the company continued operating its bike-taxi service. A case has therefore been registered against it, and action is also being taken to have the app discontinued.”
The RTO has appealed to citizens not to book bike-taxi rides through Rapido, and has specifically warned private two-wheeler owners against onboarding their vehicles on the platform. The notice states that owners whose private vehicles are found being used for unauthorised commercial bike-taxi operations during inspections may face legal action under the Motor Vehicles Act and applicable rules. The department has requested newspapers across Pune district to give wide publicity to the public notice.
In a parallel move, Pune city police have approached Google and Apple, seeking the removal of Rapido from their respective app stores in an effort to stop the company from offering bike-taxi services in the city. Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that the communication has been sent to both platforms. “We have already sent the communication to Google Play Store and Apple Store to take down the Rapido app,” he said.
The police initiative follows a letter issued last week by Pune collector and RTA chairperson Jitendra Dudi, directing authorities to stop Rapido’s unauthorised bike-taxi operations. With the RTO having registered a case and the police now seeking removal of the app from digital platforms, the authorities are intensifying efforts to enforce licensing requirements. However, Rapido’s bike-taxi option continues to remain active on the app, with rides continuing to operate across Pune despite the case against the company.
Meanwhile, transport department officials have said that Rapido’s application seeking permission to operate bike-taxis is pending with the department. The company has been warned of legal action if it fails to comply with the prescribed norms; a senior RTO official said, requesting anonymity. The official added that the intervention of the RTA chairperson and police followed the company’s failure to discontinue its operations after being directed to do so. The official also indicated that the company can still be considered for approval if it fulfils all requirements under the applicable bike-taxi policy. However, its unauthorised operations can complicate the approval process. Until the necessary permissions are granted, the authorities maintain that the company cannot legally operate its bike-taxi services in Pune district.
