Maharashtra ordered bike taxi aggregators — including Uber, Ola, and Rapido — to go fully electric by July 2027. The state demands petrol bikes be phased out over the next nine months, a timeline aggregators wanted extended until 2030. Thousands of riders, mostly from middle-class backgrounds, now face a sudden, expensive switch to EVs.
How We Got Here
Maharashtra first legalized bike taxis in July last year under the Bike-Taxi Rules 2025, granting provisional 30-day licenses. However, these temporary licenses for Uber, Ola, and Rapido were revoked earlier this year due to non-compliance.
The Numbers
- CM Devendra Fadnavis issued the direct order for the all-electric mandate.
- Aggregators initially receive six months to comply with the phase-out, with provisional license holders getting an additional three months.
- The Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association (MBTWA) requested an 18-month transition, citing rider cost and inadequate charging.
- Separately, Minister Pratap Sarnaik had proposed a daily ₹5 fee on illegal bike taxis and a 2% welfare fund contribution.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For thousands of gig-economy riders in Mumbai and Pune, this sudden EV mandate means navigating unaffordable upfront costs and sparse charging infrastructure.
The Take
This mandate will likely gut the Maharashtra bike taxi market before July 2027. Operators simply cannot force thousands of gig workers to shoulder a complete vehicle overhaul in less than three years.
Source:
Inc42 ↗