- App-based bike taxis legal from August 1 in Maharashtra.
- Drivers need Maharashtra domicile certificate and will need to operate via aggregators.
- New rules include daily fees and driver welfare fund.
Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules: The Maharashtra government has changed its earlier decision to ban app-based bike taxi services, allowing operators such as Rapido, Ola, and Uber Bikes to function legally from August 1 under a new regulatory framework. However, according to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, drivers will now need a Maharashtra domicile certificate and must fulfil the prescribed eligibility criteria and can operate only through registered aggregators.
Currently, around 4 to 4.5 lakh app-based bike taxi drivers are active in Maharashtra without valid permission. The minister also announced that a domicile certificate will become mandatory for obtaining a driving licence from August 1, 2026. The move, he said during the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, is part of the government's efforts to streamline the licensing process.
What changes for bike taxi riders?
Under the proposed policy, bike taxis will be allowed to operate from August 1 but only through authorised aggregator platforms, enabling the government to monitor services and regulate the sector more effectively.
The objective is to regulate the sector rather than allow unregulated operations. Bike taxi operators will have to pay a daily government fee of Rs 5. In addition, Rs 2 from every ride will be credited to a welfare fund for drivers.
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The government also said it will continue taking strict action against riders who violate traffic rules or operate vehicles illegally.
Domicile certificate mandatory for bike-taxi drivers
From August 1, 2026, bike taxi drivers seeking a driving licence will be required to submit a Maharashtra domicile certificate under the revised policy.
Under the updated rules, they will also be required to hold a valid driving licence under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and a public service vehicle badge under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. A police character verification will also be mandatory before the badge is issued.
Will Uber, Rapido and Ola bike taxis continue to operate?
For now, the government has granted 30-day temporary licences to aggregators, including Ola, Uber and Rapido, to operate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
"Rules prohibit the use of private two-wheelers for passenger transport without authorisation. However, the State Transport Authority had granted 30-day temporary licences for operations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to aggregator companies Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd (Rapido) and ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd (Ola), subject to compliance with all prescribed conditions within one month," Sarnaik said.
The minister further said the government's policy aims to bring bike taxi services under a legal framework while ensuring passenger safety, regulating drivers, increasing state revenue and creating employment opportunities for youth.