Maharashtra tells Ola, Uber, Rapido to switch bike taxis to electric within 9 months
The state government has directed all bike taxi companies to replace petrol bikes with electric ones, with up to nine months for some operators.
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The Maharashtra government has directed all bike taxi companies, including Ola, Uber and Rapido, to convert their bikes to electric. Petrol-run bike taxis will thus be replaced by electric bikes.
Bike taxis have become increasingly popular for everyday travel, including during office hours.
The companies have been given a few months to change their entire bike taxi fleets from petrol to electric. All companies currently using petrol bikes will have to move to electric vehicles, and they are reportedly being given six months for this. The deadline is not the same for all companies, however. Some have been given extra time, for a different reason.
On the directions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state Transport Department has asked the RTOs and bike taxi companies to implement the rule. This means the state's bike taxis will eventually be converted from petrol to electric.
The extra time will go to operators who have already applied for a provisional licence under the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules 2025. Such operators will get three more months to move from petrol to electric vehicles. Depending on the circumstances, companies could therefore get up to nine months to convert all their bikes.
The reason given for the directive is that the number of bike taxis in the state is rising fast and petrol bikes add to pollution. The government has taken the step to promote electric vehicles.
Electric bikes also cost less to run than petrol bikes. Although their initial price is higher, their running cost is lower, which could reduce expenses for bike taxi riders.
