Rapido suspends all its services in Maharashtra after being pulled by Bombay HC

Mumbai, Jan 13: After Bombay High Court warning of strict action, Rapido, the bike-taxi operator, has confirmed that it has suspended all the operations, all its services, including two-wheeler passenger service, two-wheeler parcel service and auto service, in Maharashtra from 1 pm today (January 13) until January 20.

The decision came after the Bombay High Court pulled up a Pune-based bike taxi aggregator for operating without procuring a licence from the Maharashtra government and directed it to suspend the services immediately.

A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and S G Dige warned Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited (Rapido) to either suspend its bike taxi services immediately or the court would have to issue directions to the state authorities to permanently exempt the company from getting any licence. The bench noted that in the absence of licence, the company cannot run its services in an unregulated manner.

Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited had moved the court against a communication issued to it by the state government on December 29, 2022, refusing to grant a bike taxi aggregator licence.

The state government had in its letter cited that there was no state policy on licensing of bike taxis and there was no fare structure policy. The company assured to suspend its services till January 20 when the court would hear the matter further.

Appearing for the government, Advocate General Birendra Saraf had told the court that the company's petition ought to be heard only after they discontinue their services. "They can't come to this court while running the services illegally," he said.

"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," Saraf said.

"There has to be a comprehensive policy equal to all. Every company has to be on the same page. Either everyone is allowed to ply or everybody stops. In the absence of policy or safety guidelines, no such service should be allowed to ply. Plying under the radar cannot be allowed," the court said.

The petitioner also alleged that the state is discriminating against it as other cab services like Uber are allowed to continue offering similar bike services.

Saraf added that the government has formed a committee to study the issue and explore formulation of guidelines for bike taxis. "We are also in the process of issuing prohibition and initiating prosecution against entities which are operating bike taxis without licence," Saraf said.