APMC police have registered a case against Roppen Transport Pvt Ltd (Rapido) for allegedly facilitating illegal bike-taxi operations in Navi Mumbai after a team of Motor Vehicle Inspectors booked three private two-wheelers found operating as bike taxis through the Rapido app on Tuesday. The FIR was registered on Wednesday.
Alleged Violation of Motor Vehicles Act
According to the complaint filed by Motor Vehicle Inspector Pradnya Ramesh Abhang, the company has been running bike-taxi services without obtaining the mandatory permits required under the Motor Vehicles Act and the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2020. Despite repeated government notifications and court orders restraining such operations, Rapido allegedly continued facilitating passenger transport using private two-wheelers.
Decoy Operation Conducted by Inspectors
Acting on instructions from senior officers, Abhang and her team conducted a decoy operation at RTO Ground, Sector 19, Vashi, where three Rapido bike rides were booked between 12.40 pm and 2 pm. Three riders — Anas Faqih, Rahul Thorat and Ayub Shaikh — arrived on private motorcycles, which were subsequently seized by the transport squad.
Safety Concerns and Unverified Drivers
The complainant stated that Rapido’s operations violate Sections 66 and 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which prohibit passenger transport using private vehicles, and Section 93, which mandates aggregators to obtain licences. She also highlighted that drivers deployed through the app are not subjected to background verification, posing a safety risk, particularly for women passengers.
Further Investigation Underway
“Despite clear directions from the state government and repeated rejection of their licence applications, the company has been openly encouraging illegal passenger transport, putting commuters’ safety at risk,” the complaint reads.
APMC police said the investigation is underway based on the government complaint, and further action will follow as per legal provisions.
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