Pune Collector Directs Rapido to Shut Unlicensed Bike Taxi Services, Warns of Legal Action
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 15th October 2026: Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi has directed aggregators operating unlicensed two-wheeler taxi services, including Rapido, to immediately discontinue the services until they obtain valid government licences. The administration has warned of legal action against companies that fail to comply with the directions.
The directive follows a meeting held to discuss various demands and grievances raised by cab and auto-rickshaw drivers in Pune district. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Dudi said aggregator companies must strictly comply with government rules and guidelines.
The administration has also issued directions regarding drivers’ share of fares, pricing limits and transparency in fare calculations.
Under the directions, aggregator companies must ensure that drivers receive at least 80% of the total fare. The charges must also remain within the prescribed range of minus 25% to plus 50% of the base fare fixed by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
To ensure transparency, aggregators will be required to share their fare-related data with the administration every month.
The companies have also been directed to add a separate column in their mobile applications displaying the fares prescribed by the Regional Transport Authority. The move is intended to help passengers compare the applicable RTA rates with the fares charged by aggregators.
On two-wheeler taxi services, the administration has taken the position that companies cannot continue operating without the requisite legal permission. Aggregators running such services on a pilot basis have been instructed to suspend operations until they obtain valid licences from the government.
The administration has warned that failure to comply with the directions could invite legal action against the companies concerned.
