Penalty for ride cancellation? Rapido, Uber have until Sept 1 to comply

Speaking on the September 1 deadline, State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said it was important to bring passenger transport services catering to lakhs of commuters within the legal framework.

“Citizens must certainly have access to facilities through technology. However, no one will be permitted to bypass the law and compromise passenger safety in the name of convenience,” Sarnaik said.

What stares at ride-hailing services?

Transport Department officials have said that compliance with the policy would improve accountability and operational discipline among aggregators in Maharashtra, regulating them effectively. 

Under the new policy, transport-based aggregators are required to register with the transport department.

They can operate in Maharashtra carrying licences issued by the state transport authority. The licences will be valid for three years.

All vehicles onboarded with the aggregator platforms must possess valid permits and insurance. They must be registered as commercial passenger transport vehicles.

The government has also warned that private or non-commercial vehicles operating without valid permits will not be allowed to function on aggregator platforms in the state.

The Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Aggregator Rules, 2026, which came into force earlier this month, contain several additional provisions, including a fivefold penalty on the drivers who cancel rides to airports, hospitals and railway stations, mandatory five-day induction training for drivers, grievance redressal mechanisms, rules for ride pooling, and norms related to electric vehicle fleet maintenance.