Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi has approached Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, seeking the immediate removal of Rapido’s bike taxi booking option from its app in the district, a TOI report stated. The move follows an FIR registered against the aggregator by the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, over the alleged operation of unauthorised bike taxi services. Despite the police complaint, the bike taxi option reportedly remains available on the app, prompting autorickshaw unions to question why the service has not been discontinued. Dudi, who also chairs the Pune Regional Transport Authority (RTA), has asked the police commissioner to instruct the cyber cell to disable the feature until the necessary permissions are obtained.
Pune RTO takes action against unauthorised bike taxis
The latest development comes amid enforcement action by the Pune RTO against operators allegedly running bike taxi services without approval. An RTO official said more than 10 operators had faced action so far, with penalties exceeding Rs 60,000. The official maintained that permission to operate bike taxis had not been granted in Pune and said enforcement measures would continue.
The FIR against Rapido was registered about a week before Dudi's letter to the police commissioner. However, the continued presence of the booking option has raised concerns among traditional autorickshaw operators, who have been demanding stricter action.
Autorickshaw unions question delay in action
Keshav Kshirsagar, president of Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha and the Baghtoy Rickshawaala union, questioned why passengers could still book bike taxi rides after the FIR was filed. He said the union was planning to meet Pune RTO officials on Saturday or Monday to seek clarity on the matter and ask why stronger action had not been taken against the company.
Nitin Pawar, president of Rickshaw Panchayat, also criticised Rapido over the alleged continuation of its service despite warnings from transport authorities. Pawar said authorities had previously directed the company to remove the bike taxi option and warned that its licence could be suspended if it failed to comply. He also questioned the pace of enforcement and said his union would approach the Pune collector to seek an explanation.
Rapido's response awaited
The dispute puts the focus on the regulatory status of app-based bike taxi services in Pune and the enforcement of transport authorities' directions. As per TOI report, a query was sent to Rapido seeking an explanation for why its bike taxi booking option remained available despite the FIR. The company's response was awaited at the time of publication.
The immediate issue is whether the booking feature will be disabled following the collector's request and what further action the authorities will take against operators allegedly offering rides without the required authorisation.