Electric bike taxis now legal in Maharashtra, final rules notified
Each bike taxi must be painted yellow with ‘Bike Taxi’ written in reflective lettering. Riders must provide yellow helmets to passengers, which must be sanitised after every trip.
Services like Rapido and Uber can now run electric bike taxis after registering as per the new rules. (File Photo) Written by Kartika Jamdar and Naresh S
Bike taxis are now officially legal in Maharashtra. On July 4, the state government notified the Maharashtra Bike-Taxi Rules, 2025, clearing the way for app-based aggregators to begin operations — provided they meet strict licensing, safety, and operational conditions.
“App-based aggregators will be permitted to start operations once they apply for licences under the notified norms,” confirmed a Joint Commisioner of the Transport Authority. Services such as Rapido and Uber can now run electric bike taxis after registration, as per the new rules.
Under the framework issued by the Home Department, only electric two-wheelers are allowed. Petrol vehicles are not permitted. Aggregators must operate a minimum fleet of 50 electric bikes registered in Maharashtra and pay ₹1 lakh as a licensing fee and ₹5 lakh as a security deposit. Licenses will be valid for five years.
Each bike taxi must be painted yellow with ‘bike taxi’ written in reflective lettering. Riders must provide yellow helmets to passengers, which must be sanitised after every trip.
Only drivers aged between 20 and 50 years with a valid commercial licence and PSV badge can be employed. They must undergo police verification, periodic health and fitness checks, and demonstrate knowledge of city routes.
Anyone convicted in the past seven years of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is barred from working as a driver.
To enhance commuter safety — particularly for women — aggregators must ensure their apps include features such as GPS tracking, female driver preference, panic buttons, and a 24/7 control room. Street hailing of bike taxis is prohibited; rides must be booked through the app.
Working hours for drivers are capped at eight hours a day, and the maximum trip distance is restricted to 15km. Aggregators are required to conduct safety training for drivers every three months.
The rules empower local bodies — including RTOs — to determine city-specific fares, fleet sizes, routes, live tracking systems, and emergency response mechanisms. The government has also directed that bike taxis be integrated into existing local public transport networks where possible.
In a key addition to the draft rules published on May 22, the final notification mandates compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Aggregators must ensure user data collected via the app is handled lawfully and securely.
The state aims to prioritise rollout in major cities first, gradually extending services to all urban areas with a population above one lakh. The move is expected to boost last-mile connectivity, especially in cities with limited public transport infrastructure, while giving a push to electric mobility.
In April, the state government cleared a policy, under which bike taxis could operate in Maharashtra. However, it had not codified the norms under which these services could operate. Despite the absence of these norms, major app-based vehicle aggregators had started these services.
The services were discontinued from Thursday last week after state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik caught a bike taxi plying illegally near the Mantralaya junction in Mumbai.
“I myself used this illegal service despite the government not giving it the nod. Such companies operating without state sanction will be taken strictly to task,” Sarnaik had said last week stating that the bike taxi services are illegal.
Kartika Jamdar and Naresh S are interns with The Indian Express.
Share
