Mumbai Gets Bike Taxis Back: Check Fare Per Km and Govt Safety Rules

In good news for Mumbaikars, the Maharashtra government has officially approved the return of popular bike taxis in the city. Bike taxis hit the roads on Tuesday (September 16).

The Transport Department has fixed a minimum fare of Rs 15 for the first 1.5 km and Rs 10.27 for every additional kilometer.

According to estimates, a 5-km ride could cost about Rs 50, while a 10-km trip may come to roughly Rs 100.

Ride-hailing platforms Ola, Uber, and Rapido are set to relaunch their bike taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). They have already obtained provisional licenses following approval of their applications. Of the four firms that applied, three are ready to begin operations on a trial basis.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the services could begin from Tuesday, giving operators about a month to obtain permanent licenses by complying with all government rules.

Bike taxis have been cleared after years of battling their illegal use. Despite the ban, as many as 123 unauthorized vehicles were found running as bike taxis. Surprise inspections across Mumbai, Thane, Vashi, and Panvel led to several FIRs being registered.

Minister Sarnaik stressed that operators must hold valid permits, commercial driving licenses, a PSV badge, and maintain clean criminal records.