Apple and Google told to pull Uber, Ola and Rapido apps in Maharashtra amid crackdown

The Maharashtra State Cyber department has issued notices to Apple and Google seeking the removal of ride-hailing apps Uber, Ola, and Rapido from their app stores over alleged illegal bike taxi operations in the state.

The notices, issued on May 15, asked the companies to “remove and disable access” to the applications and cited Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The action follows a May 12 letter from Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik seeking intervention against bike taxi platforms operating in Maharashtra.

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Bike taxis find themselves on thin regulatory ice

The notices said the bike taxi services were operating without valid permissions and were in violation of the legal framework under the Motor Vehicles Act and state transport rules.

The Maharashtra State Cyber department also flagged concerns over passenger safety, saying driver verification, insurance coverage, women’s safety measures, and emergency response systems were inadequate.

The department further cited a recent incident in which a woman allegedly died while using a bike taxi service, adding that a criminal case had been registered. Similar complaints, the notices said, had also surfaced in other parts of Maharashtra.

The state doubles down on its EV-only stance

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed to The Indian Express that the state had initiated the process through Maharashtra Cyber.

“We have sent letters through Maharashtra Cyber to Google and Apple regarding these apps. Bike taxis are operating illegally in Maharashtra, and action is being taken accordingly,” he said.

Sarnaik also said the state’s stance was tied to passenger safety and the broader electric vehicle transport policy, adding that the government wanted bike taxis to run on EVs rather than petrol vehicles.

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The exemption stayed narrow, by design

Sarnaik said the state had already allowed electric bike taxis and had issued temporary one-month permissions to aggregators to complete documentation but claimed they had not submitted the required papers.

He also said the government’s enforcement was aimed at the bike taxi segment alone, while cab, auto, and food delivery services offered by the same platforms would continue to function.

Maharashtra’s notices warned Apple and Google of possible legal consequences if they failed to comply with directions issued by Indian law enforcement agencies.