On Friday, the Maharashtra State Cyber Department served notices to Apple and Google demanding they pull Ola, Uber and Rapido from their app stores over illegal bike taxi operations.
The Indian Express explains how the conflict between the state and bike taxi platforms began and why the government has put its app removal plan on hold.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, enforcement teams detected 715 Rapido-linked bike taxis, 43 linked to Uber and 18 linked to Ola.
For the roughly 15,000 bike taxi riders in Mumbai alone, the crackdown has triggered panic.
The Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association has written to the Chief Minister seeking a transition period of 12 to 18 months before any EV mandate kicks in.
On Friday, the Maharashtra State Cyber Department served notices to Apple and Google demanding they pull Ola, Uber and Rapido from their app stores over illegal bike taxi operations. By Saturday, the plan was on hold.
A senior Cyber Department official confirmed that authorities were looking for a way to specifically halt bike taxi operations without disrupting the cab, auto and other services the platforms offer. “We are trying to work around a way to cease bike taxi operations without blocking all standalone ride-hailing apps,” the official told this newspaper.
The climbdown comes less than 24 hours after the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, in a major escalation, invoked Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 to ask Apple and Google to “remove and disable access” to the applications from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The rapid retreat points to a legal problem the state may not have fully thought through and one that experts say could have made the notices difficult to defend in court. The Indian Express explains how the conflict between the state and bike taxi platforms began and why the government has put its app removal plan on hold.
How did this conflict begin?
This standoff didn’t begin this week. Rapido first launched bike taxi operations in Maharashtra in November 2020 without formal state approval. Then Transport Commissioner Avinash Dhakne had said the company’s application was rejected and directed it to submit a proposal for evaluation by the State Transport Authority, which would also assess whether bike taxis would ease or worsen traffic congestion.
In December 2022, Rapido’s application for a licence was rejected by Pune RTO citing the absence of a formal policy framework.
In January 2023, the Bombay High Court reprimanded Rapido for operating without licences and directed it to suspend bike taxi services in Maharashtra for a week. The state government followed with a resolution prohibiting private two-wheelers from being used as transport vehicles, citing safety concerns. The Supreme Court later rejected Rapido’s challenge to the HC order and sent the matter back to the High Court.
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Why did the state issue notices now?
In September 2025, Maharashtra attempted a fresh approach by granting provisional 30-day licences to Ola, Uber and Rapido, giving them a window to transition to electric bike taxis under the Maharashtra Bike-Taxi Rules 2025. The rules, notified in July that year, permitted only electric two-wheelers, painted yellow and marked with reflective “bike taxi” lettering, to operate commercially.
The platforms didn’t comply. In March 2026, the state revoked their licences. The platforms kept operating anyway.
That is what prompted the May 15 notices. State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has also alleged that the platforms actively shielded riders from enforcement by reimbursing RTO fines.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, enforcement teams detected 715 Rapido-linked bike taxis, 43 linked to Uber and 18 linked to Ola. Fines worth Rs 11.85 lakh were collected in that period.
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Can the state actually pull the apps?
The May 15 notices were issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which allows the government to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content and strips them of legal protection if they fail to act.
Legal experts said the move was vulnerable to challenge. “The notices are open to challenge considering Section 79(3)(b) is typically used for removing unlawful content or links instead of directly banning an app because its service model is disputed,” said tech lawyer Alay Razvi. Ashutosh Srivastava, Partner at SKV Law Offices, was more direct. “Section 69A is the only provision for blocking online services,” a provision that requires Central government orders, not state cyber notices. Apart from Section 69A, platforms could also be shut down through a court order, Srivastava added. The state’s own pause suggests those concerns may have registered.
Why are only EV bike taxis allowed?
The EV-only rule wasn’t the Transport Department’s first choice. During a recent townhall with The Indian Express, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said he had initially proposed legalising petrol-powered bike taxis too. “Despite opposition to bike taxis, I realised the importance they held in places like Goa could be replicated in Maharashtra because of the large number of single passengers,” he told the newsroom. The Cabinet overruled him. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said, held firm, arguing that platforms had the ability to build electric fleets but were reluctant because of relatively higher operational costs.
What happens to riders?
For the roughly 15,000 bike taxi riders in Mumbai alone, the crackdown has triggered panic. The Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association has written to the Chief Minister seeking a transition period of 12 to 18 months before any EV mandate kicks in. Electric bikes cost up to Rs 1.8 lakh, which, they say, is a significant burden for riders who often carry vehicle loans and have no other income. “The sudden move threatens the livelihood of thousands of riders across the state,” said Amit Gawde, president of the association.
