- By Deeksha Gour
- Tue, 16 Sep 2025 05:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mumbai News: Bike taxis are set to roll out in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as the state transport authority has given approval for operations on a pilot basis. Aggregators Ola, Uber and Rapido have received provisional licences and may begin services by the end of September or early October.
Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed that the three operators can start from Tuesday under pilot approval. They will have nearly a month to secure permanent licences by meeting all the conditions laid down in the government’s bike taxi guidelines.
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Mumbai Bike Taxi Fare
According to a Times Of India report, minimum fare has been fixed at Rs 15 for the first 1.5 km, with an additional charge of Rs 10.27 for every kilometre after that. The fares were calculated using the Khatua Committee formula, the same method earlier used for autorickshaw and taxi fares in MMR.
According to the government notification, aggregator firms must run a call centre or operate through an authorised web portal. Officials said this step is meant to improve accountability, as many cab aggregators earlier lacked proper customer support systems.
The transport department had earlier launched a crackdown on illegal bike taxis. The TOI report cited a senior official from the transport commissioner’s office as stating that, 20 special squads across Mumbai, Thane, Vashi and Panvel had booked 123 vehicles, including 78 unauthorised bike taxis, most of them Rapido and 45 other vehicles running without valid permits.
Minister Sarnaik also stated that operators must comply with state permit rules, pay revenue and follow regulations. He pointed out that he had personally stopped a Rapido bike near Mantralaya a few months ago.
As per the new rules, bike taxi drivers must hold a valid commercial driving licence, a public service vehicle (PSV) badge and undergo police verification. Drivers must be between 20 and 50 years old, have knowledge of local routes and maintain a clean record with no criminal convictions.
Reacting to the approval, an Uber spokesperson said the decision was positive for both commuters and riders and that the company had already submitted its licence application.