Maharashtra transport minister exposes illegal bike taxis in Mumbai

In a rare undercover move, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik busted an illegal bike taxi operating in Mumbai, exposing glaring loopholes in enforcement and the Transport Department’s own claims.

Disguised as a regular commuter, Sarnaik booked a ride through the Rapido app using an alias. Within ten minutes, a rider arrived at Shaheed Babu Genu Chowk in Mantralaya — proving that despite official assertions, unauthorized bike taxis continue to ply city roads.

The sting comes days after the state introduced its new e-bike taxi policy, which permits only electric two-wheelers that meet specific regulatory benchmarks. Yet, the Rapido driver who responded was found to be operating without proper authorization.

“The department had said no such apps are active in Mumbai, but I wanted to verify it myself,” Sarnaik said, handing the rider ₹500 and making it clear his intention wasn’t to penalize the driver.

“We won’t get anywhere by punishing poor riders. The real crackdown must be on those running the illegal operations behind the scenes,” he asserted.

The bold step has triggered fresh questions over enforcement lapses and may pave the way for stricter accountability within app-based transport services operating across Maharashtra.