Maharashtra govt pulled up by Bombay HC for uncertainty over permit for bike taxis

The plea was filed by Roppen Transportation Services Pvt. Ltd., operator of Rapido bike taxi services in Pune and Mumbai, against a government communication refusing a bike aggregator’s licence

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rapped the Maharashtra government for its uncertainty on framing a policy permitting bike taxis in the state, and said it has to clarify its stand one way or the other.

A division Bench of Justices Gautam Patel and S.G. Dige said the State Government cannot keep the issue hanging over the fire and has to take a decision immediately.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, operator of Rapido bike taxi services in Pune and Mumbai, against a communication issued to it by the State Government on December 29, 2022, refusing to allow them a bike taxi aggregator licence.

Appearing for the government, Advocate General Birendra Saraf on Tuesday told the court that as on date, bike taxis are not allowed to ply, as the government has not issued any no policy or guidelines for the same.

“The government has in fact issued a show cause notice to one such aggregator company for plying bike taxis without licence. A carriage licence is required in such cases,” Advocate Saraf said.

The court, however, said that it found it difficult to accept the government's stand that such bike taxis cannot ply till a policy is framed but at the same time the government is not even clarifying when it would come up with its policy.

“How can you (government) refuse for want of policy or guidelines? You may refuse it on any other ground but this. You cannot keep it hanging like this on fire. You have to take a decision even if it is on a temporary basis. We find it difficult to accept the government's stand,” Justice Patel said.