Cyber Cell U-Turns on Taxi Apps

Maharashtra’s cyber cell reversed within a day a move to push Apple and Google to remove Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores over alleged illegal bike-taxi operations in the state. The reversal came on Saturday, May 17, after notices dated May 15 had cited the Information Technology Act and ordered the companies to “remove and disable access” to the apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The episode followed a letter from Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who said the platforms were running bike-taxi services without valid permissions. By Saturday, the apps had not been blocked and services had not been removed “till further notice,” according to a government source cited by the Times of India. ### Why did Maharashtra Cyber try to get the apps removed in the first place? May 12 set the process in motion when Pratap Sarnaik wrote to the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, seeking immediate action against bike-taxi platforms including Ola, Uber and Rapido. In that letter, Sarnaik said the companies were operating passenger transport services without valid permission, government approval or compliance with transport department rules. (indianexpress.com) May 15 was the date on the cyber cell notices sent to Apple and Google. The notices invoked Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and said the apps were facilitating “unlawful” bike-taxi operations in Maharashtra. The notices also warned the app-store operators that failure to comply could expose them to legal action under the IT Act and intermediary rules. (medianama.com) ### What exactly did the notices say was illegal? Maharashtra Cyber said the apps were enabling passenger transport services “without obtaining valid permissions, government approvals, or compliance” with transport department rules and the Motor Vehicles Act. The notices also raised safety concerns, saying driver verification, insurance protection, women’s safety measures and emergency response systems were inadequate. (indianexpress.com) A reported fatal accident was one of the examples cited by officials. The notices said a woman had died in an incident allegedly involving a bike-taxi ride and that a criminal case had been registered. Mid-Day and Medianama both reported that the complaint trail referred to that case as part of the state’s argument for tougher action. (indianexpress.com) ### Why is the legality of bike taxis still contested if Maharashtra has rules for them? July 4, 2025 is the date on Maharashtra’s Bike-Taxi Rules, 2025, which are posted on the state transport department’s website. The rules define a bike taxi as a motorcycle vehicle with a valid permit and set out a licensing structure for aggregators and service providers under the Motor Vehicles Act. (indianexpress.com) March 10, 2026 added a second layer to the dispute when Sarnaik said the state had revoked provisional licences granted to Ola, Uber and Rapido. The Indian Express reported that the minister told the Legislative Council the companies had been given temporary permission for a month but failed to submit required documents and meet policy conditions, including requirements tied to the state’s electric bike-taxi framework. (transport.maharashtra.gov.in) That sequence helps explain the contradiction: Maharashtra has a formal rulebook for bike taxis, but the state says major platforms were operating without meeting the conditions needed for lawful service. That is an inference from the government’s July 2025 rules and Sarnaik’s March 2026 statement revoking provisional licences. (indianexpress.com) ### Why did the government reverse course a day later? May 17 is when the cyber cell stepped back, but public reporting does not identify an official reason for the reversal. The Times of India said the reason was known only to cyber-cell officials, while a government source said there was “no block or stoppage” and the services were not removed till further notice. (transport.maharashtra.gov.in) The immediate result was narrow but important: Apple and Google were no longer under an active push to delist the apps, and users in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra could still access the services. Hindustan Times, citing the Indian Express reporting, described the plan as being on hold as of Saturday. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### What happens next for Uber, Ola and Rapido in Maharashtra? Uber, Ola and Rapido remain exposed to the broader licensing and enforcement fight even after the app-store reversal. The underlying complaint from Sarnaik has not been withdrawn in the reporting reviewed, and the state’s position that unauthorized bike-taxi operations violate transport rules remains unchanged. (hindustantimes.com) The next documents to watch are the transport department’s bike-taxi rules and any fresh orders from Maharashtra Cyber or the transport ministry. As of the latest reporting on May 17, the apps had not been removed, the cyber action was paused till further notice, and the state’s regulatory case against bike-taxi operations was still on the table. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) (indianexpress.com)