Bike Taxis To Ply in Mumbai and Other Cities Soon as Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Gives Final Approval, Auto-Rickshaw Drivers’ Union Unhappy

Mumbai, July 22: Bike taxis will soon ply in Mumbai and other cities of Maharashtra as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has given the final approval to the proposal. The Maharashtra government approved the operation of bike taxis in urban areas, including Mumbai and other cities, in June. CM Shinde has now approved the implantation, according to a report published on July 22. However, no Government Resolution or GR has been issued in this regard so far. The decision has not gone well with auto-rickshaw drivers.

Bike taxis will be allowed to operate within a 10 km radius in Mumbai and a 5 km radius in other cities. All bikes must be equipped with GPS, and bike pilots are required to be registered and trained. App-based aggregators must maintain a fleet of at least 50 bikes, with a registration fee of Rs 1 lakh; for fleets exceeding 10,000 bikes, the fee is Rs 5 lakh. The rates for bike-taxi services have not yet been disclosed. Rapido Cabs: Bike-Taxi Startup Rapido Enters Cab Business With Intra-City Mobility Solution.

As per Free Press Journal,  Shashank Rao, president of the Auto-rickshaw Chalak-Malak Sanghtana Sanyukt Kruti Samiti, mentioned that the Auto-Rickshaw association completely opposes this decision as they struggle to make money and they are not helped by the government in this situation. No More ‘Kaali Peeli’ in Mumbai: Premier Padmini Taxis to Go Off Roads After Reigning City for Six Decades

“The government cannot control bike taxis. They have failed to regulate aggregators like Ola and Uber, so how will they manage bike taxis? Auto-rickshaw drivers need permits to purchase their vehicles, but private taxis use their vehicles for business without any regulation,” Rao added. 

Last year, the Bombay High Court halted Rapido’s bike taxi services in Maharashtra. Following this, the government established a committee to assess the situation and create guidelines for two-wheeler bike taxis. Now they have established a committee to evaluate their feasibility.

(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Jul 22, 2024 11:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).