Mumbai, March 9 The Maharashtra government on Monday revoked the provisional licenses issued to some motorcycle aggregators because they did not meet certain requirements, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said.
Speaking in the legislative council, Sarnaik said the e-bike policy was intended to provide employment to local residents, adding that in states like Goa, tourists prefer motorcycles because it is cheaper for a single person compared to taking an auto-rickshaw or taxi.
He said that in August 2024, the cabinet allowed the operation of e-bikes in cities with a population of over a lakh.
According to the Maharashtra E-bike Taxi Rules 2024, it was mandatory that the vehicles should be electric. Also, the aggregators were asked to fulfill certain requirements within 30 days.
"Rapido, Ola, and Uber were given permission for just a month, and they were required to submit certain documents. I held a meeting with RTO officials on Monday. (I told the officials that) if they haven't submitted the documents, then their temporary licenses must be revoked. We are canceling the temporary licenses to prevent illegal motorcycles from being used on the roads," Sarnaik said.
He said that the number of motorcycle taxis operating in Mumbai and the MMR is very large. "So, all the motorcycles on the road are illegal," Sarnaik said.
He also pointed out that the RTO officials had raised concerns about the behavior of motorcycle aggregators.
Naik said he has instructed that instead of prosecuting the motorcycle riders, the owners should be held responsible.
The minister also mentioned complaints regarding accidents and the safety of women involving motorcycle taxi riders.
Since April 2024, the RTOs have taken action against 130 motorcycle taxis and collected a fine of Rs 33 lakh, Sarnaik said.