Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik exposed unauthorized Rapido bike taxis by booking a ride himself. Despite government restrictions, Rapido operates freely, revealing gaps in enforcement and departmental accountability.
Mumbai | July 3, 2025: Despite not having formal permission from the Maharashtra government, Rapido’s bike taxi service continues to operate openly across the state. In a surprising and revealing move, Maharashtra’s Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik decided to test the claims of his own department—by booking a Rapido ride himself.
The decision came after several complaints were received about unauthorized bike taxis. When Sarnaik asked the Transport Department whether such services were operating in Mumbai or elsewhere, the official response was: “No unauthorized bike taxi apps are running in the state.”
To verify this, Sarnaik booked a Rapido ride under an alias using the app. Within just ten minutes, a Rapido bike bearing registration number MH 01 EU 8501 arrived at Shaheed Babu Genu Chowk, near Mantralaya—right at the seat of government. The Minister greeted the driver and made it clear that his issue was not with the youth trying to earn a living, but with those who were running unauthorized platforms.
“This young man isn’t the criminal. We gain nothing by punishing him. But we must hold those big names hiding behind such illegal apps accountable,” Sarnaik said. He even paid ₹500 to the rider, acknowledging his efforts while stressing the need for legal and policy compliance.
Notably, the Maharashtra government has recently introduced a new e-bike policy, under which only electric bike taxis operating under strict terms and conditions will be granted permission. As of now, all existing bike taxi services, including Rapido, are considered unauthorized under this policy.
This incident not only exposed the gap between ground reality and official claims, but also raised serious questions about accountability within the transport department. Now, it remains to be seen what action will be taken against the officials who misled the Minister himself.
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