App Stores Face Removal Notice
The Maharashtra State Cyber Department has formally requested major app distributors, Apple and Google, to take down ride-hailing applications such as Uber,
Ola, and Rapido. This directive, issued on May 15th, stems from allegations that these platforms are facilitating illegal bike taxi services across the state. The notices were dispatched under the IT Act, 2000, mandating the "removal and disabling of access" to these applications from their respective stores. This action follows a formal complaint lodged by Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on May 12th, who urged the Cyber Department to address the proliferation of unauthorized bike taxi operations within Maharashtra. The state's cyber wing has asserted that these bike taxi services are operating outside the established legal and regulatory framework, lacking essential permissions and adherence to the Motor Vehicles Act and transport department rules.
Safety and Legal Concerns Mount
Significant concerns regarding passenger safety have been raised by the Maharashtra Cyber Department, highlighting perceived inadequacies in driver verification, insurance coverage, women's safety protocols, and emergency response systems employed by these bike taxi aggregators. A particularly alarming incident, where a woman tragically lost her life in connection with a bike taxi service booked through one of these apps, has amplified these worries, leading to the registration of a criminal case. Authorities claim that numerous similar incidents have been reported throughout Maharashtra, underscoring a pattern of negligence. The Cyber Department has cautioned Apple and Google that failure to comply with these directives could result in legal repercussions under the IT Act and intermediary liability regulations. Minister Sarnaik affirmed that the state is pursuing this matter through official channels to ensure compliance and curb illegal operations.
Escalating Regulatory Disputes
This latest move signifies an intensification of the Maharashtra government's ongoing dispute with app-based bike taxi services. In recent weeks, the transport department has consistently maintained that the current regulatory landscape does not permit bike taxi operations. This crackdown also occurs amidst a broader wave of scrutiny directed at app-based mobility providers in Maharashtra, including recent actions taken against private bus aggregators and unauthorized transport applications accused of unfair fare practices. While the current notices specifically target bike taxi functionalities, other services like cab, auto, and food delivery, offered by the same platforms, remain unaffected. The state's objective, as articulated by Minister Sarnaik, is to prioritize passenger safety and align with its Electric Vehicle transport policy, which champions the use of EVs. The government aims for bike taxi services to exclusively utilize electric vehicles, noting the limited adoption of EVs for this purpose currently.
EV Policy and Safety Priorities
Minister Sarnaik emphasized that women's safety is paramount, especially in light of recent complaints involving bike taxi riders, including allegations of misconduct with female passengers and multiple police reports. He stated that while temporary, one-month permissions were granted to aggregators to finalize procedures for electric bike taxis, they have yet to submit the necessary documentation. Sarnaik claims that thousands of illegal bike taxis, predominantly petrol-powered despite the policy advocating solely for electric vehicles, continue to operate. The state's stance is clear: to ensure that bike taxi services operate in a manner that is safe, legal, and environmentally conscious, prioritizing electric vehicles over conventional petrol-powered ones to align with the broader goals of the state's transport policy and enhance public safety.
