Maharashtra Govt Warns Ola, Uber, Rapido On Safety Norms; May Mandate 100% Electric Two-Wheelers For E-Bike Services

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has warned e-bike aggregator companies such as Ola, Uber and Rapido to strictly follow government regulations or face stringent action. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on monday said the government would not tolerate any compromise on passenger safety, driver verification and transparency in transport operations.

High-level review meeting assesses service providers

The warning came after a high-level review meeting held by the Transport Department to assess the functioning of e-bike service providers in the state. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister’s Advisor Kaustubh Dhavse, Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Sethi, Cyber Crime DIG Yashasvi Yadav, Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar and representatives of the aggregator companies. Discussions focused on licence status, driver registration, police verification procedures and loopholes in app management systems.

Sarnaik said the government is preparing a comprehensive policy under which only 100 per cent electric two-wheelers may be permitted for e-bike services. Companies using petrol-powered vehicles could face immediate blacklisting. He also said Police Verification Reports (PVR) for all drivers would be made compulsory, and no driver would be allowed to register on aggregator apps before completing the verification process.

RTOs may get app access for real-time monitoring

The government is also planning to give Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) access to aggregator apps for real-time monitoring of vehicles linked to each platform. Authorities have also raised concerns over drivers operating for multiple platforms in a single day. To address security issues, the government is considering restricting drivers to working with only one aggregator company per day.

Sarnaik said aggregator apps may soon be required to display permit details, vehicle registration number, driver name, photograph and a panic button feature to strengthen commuter safety.

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