Maharashtra's government will legalise the operation of bike taxis via ride aggregator apps within the state from Aug. 1 onwards, with a caveat that the operators must have a Maharashtra domicile certificate, according to a news report from Indian Express on Tuesday,
The drivers also need to meet the prescribed benchmarks and directives and work solely through approved and recognised ride apps, as per the new rule. These legal obligations include having a licence and a badge issued by the government.
ALSO READ: Karnataka HC Directs Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto To Deposit Gig Worker Welfare Fee — What We Know So Far
Up to 4-4.5 lakh bike taxi unauthorised bike taxi services are currently running in the state according to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik.
“The government is not receiving any revenue from these services. We have now formulated a new policy to bring them under a regulatory framework," the minister said in a Legislative Assembly discussion.
“We are planning to make bike taxis legal from August 1 through a proper aggregator framework. Every bike taxi will operate through an app where services can be monitored. The objective is to regulate the sector rather than allow unregulated operations," he added.
As per this proposal, ride aggregators will now have to pay Rs 5 to the Maharashtra government for every ride they provide, along with a 2% contribution of the fare to a welfare fund that will be managed by the State Transport Authority's administration.
ALSO READ: Rapido Founders Booked On RTO Complaint For Operating Bike Taxi Service Without Government Nod
The welfare fund will be used for the benefit of drivers associated with bike taxis as well as four-wheeler aggregator platforms. We want those working through aggregators to receive welfare benefits and social security,” Sarnaik informed The Indian Express.
Sarnaik said that this new policy is intended to generate employment for the local youth. He further said that the domicile certificate is necessary in order to determine how long a person has been in Maharashtra and whether they can speak Marathi.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.