Subhechcha Ganguly 
In a dramatic undercover operation, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik personally booked a bike taxi ride through the Rapido app to verify claims that such services were not operating illegally in Mumbai — only to uncover the opposite.
Despite receiving official assurances from his department that no illegal bike taxis were running in the city, Sarnaik decided to investigate for himself. Speaking to reporters, the minister said, “I booked a ride from Mantralaya to Dadar using a different name. Within 10 minutes, a rider arrived outside Babu Genu Junction.”
The app had quoted a fare of ₹195 for the short ride. When the rider reached the location, Sarnaik revealed his identity, informing him that app-based bike taxi services were not permitted in Mumbai. “I am the transport minister. These rules are made for your own protection,” he told the visibly surprised rider.
As a goodwill gesture, Sarnaik offered the rider ₹500 for his time and effort, though the rider politely declined.
Currently, the Maharashtra government has not granted licenses to any bike taxi aggregator, including Rapido and Uber. The state’s new e-bike policy allows bike taxi operations only in cities with populations over one lakh and under strict regulatory guidelines — which have not yet been formally implemented. This legal grey area means that all such services are technically unauthorized.
Last month, the Transport Commissioner’s office filed an FIR against Rapido and Uber at the Azad Maidan police station for allegedly operating bike taxis without authorization.
Officials confirmed that a revised regulatory framework for bike taxis is under review and will be considered by the state government in the coming weeks.
