A day after Sarnaik exposes illegal bike taxi services, RTOs asked to crack down on operators

Mumbai, Jul 3 (PTI) The Maharashtra transport commissionerate on Thursday asked RTOs to crack down on illegal bike taxis, the diktat coming a day after state minister Pratap Sarnaik exposed their operations by hailing a ride from Mantralaya, the state secretariat.

In a release issued here, the transport commissioner's office also asked citizens not to use such illegal passenger services and urged them to prioritise safety.

It also said strict action will be taken against such unauthorised operations if citizens provide tip offs.

On Wednesday, Maharashtra transport minister Sarnaik, without disclosing his identity, booked a ride from Mantralaya to Dadar on a Rapido bike taxi. He caught the bike taxi rider red-handed at Genu junction outside the state secretariat.

The release from the transport commissioner's office claimed Rapido, Ola and Uber are ferrying passengers without obtaining mandatory permits.

"As per Section 93 of Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020, it is mandatory for such companies to obtain proper permits. However, these companies are allegedly operating bike taxi services without required authorisation. Under Section 66, private motor vehicles cannot be used for passenger transport, and doing so may attract legal action," the release said.

The use of such unauthorised services not only violates regulations but also raises serious concerns about passenger safety. it added.

Police cases were registered last month against Uber and Rapido for operating illegal bike taxi services, while Regional Transport Offices have been asked to take strict action, a senior official said.

"The state government is currently in the process of drafting rules and regulations to govern bike taxi operations in cities with populations exceeding one lakh. Public suggestions and objections have been invited as part of this process," he said. PTI KK BNM