Mumbai | Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Tuesday directed the cyber crime department of the police to shut down unauthorised bike taxi apps of aggregators such as Ola, Uber and Rapido, and register cases against the owners of these firms.
Bike taxis are not allowed to operate in the state.
In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) and copied to the Director General of Police, Sarnaik said several unauthorised bike taxi services have been operating in the state without mandatory permissions.
These apps are openly violating government rules while carrying out financial transactions, adversely affecting the livelihood of licensed rickshaw and taxi drivers, the minister said.
App-based bikes do not adhere to safety regulations, posing a serious threat to public safety, Sarnaik said.
There are no adequate safeguards for passengers using these services, including driver verification, insurance cover, women's safety measures and emergency response systems, he said.
The minister also mentioned an accident involving an unauthorised bike taxi in Mumbai's Bandra Link Road area on April 22 in which a woman died.
Unauthorised bike taxi apps linked to companies such as Ola, Uber and Rapido should be shut down immediately and strict legal action initiated against the app companies, drivers and operators under the Information Technology Act and Motor Vehicles Act, Sarnaik said.
