Maharashtra to decide on Ola, Uber bike taxis' fate soon
Maharashtra's State Transport Authority (STA) is about to decide whether bike taxis from Ola, Uber, and Rapido can keep running.
This comes after the transport department gave them provisional licenses but then filed 36 police complaints for breaking key rules—like using petrol bikes instead of required e-bikes.
There have also been serious incidents, including a passenger's death in an accident and a molestation case involving a rider.
Why does it matter?
If the STA pulls these licenses, bike taxi services could stop across Mumbai and beyond.
The rules are pretty strict: companies must use at least 50 electric bikes, pay hefty fees and deposits, add GPS tracking and panic buttons, limit shifts to eight hours, and cap trips at 15km.
All this is meant to keep riders safe and make the service sustainable.
According to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, the final decision will be made in just two days—so if you rely on bike taxis for quick rides around town, big changes might be on the horizon.