Maharashtra Cyber Acts Against Illegal Bike Taxi Apps

Maharashtra Cyber is taking action against illegal bike taxi services across the state. Notices have been sent to mobile app stores to remove applications facilitating these unauthorised operations. This move follows a complaint regarding the unchecked functioning of bike taxi apps. The authorities aim to ensure public safety and legal compliance.

Maharashtra Cyber has initiated action against the alleged illegal operations of bike taxi services across the state and issued notices to mobile app store platforms to remove applications facilitating unauthorised bike taxi operations, according to a report by The Times of India on Friday.

The action follows a complaint from the office of Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik regarding the unauthorised functioning of bike taxi applications in the state, the report said.

In a notice accessed by TOI, the office of the additional director general of police, Maharashtra Cyber, said the move was aimed at preventing the widespread use of such applications and ensuring public safety and compliance with the law.

“This is being done to prevent their widespread use and to safeguard public safety and compliance with the law,” the notice stated.

The notice was issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, read with the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011.

It warned app store platforms that failure to comply could make them liable for action under Section 85(2) of the IT Act, 2000, and other applicable laws.

Bike taxi aggregators however did not comment.

The development comes amid increasing scrutiny of bike taxi operations in several states over issues related to licensing, passenger safety, and regulatory compliance.

In March, the Maharashtra government revoked the provisional licence issued to some motorbike aggregators as they did not fulfil certain requirements such as mandatory electric vehicles.

In January, the Karnataka High Court lifted the ban on bike taxis, clearing the way for services to resume across the state.

The ban on bike taxis in Karnataka was mainly due to them operating without proper commercial permits, along with concerns about passenger safety and pressure from traditional taxi and auto unions who saw them as unfair competition.

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