The Maharashtra State Cyber Department has issued notices to Apple and Google, directing them to remove ride-hailing applications Uber, Ola and Rapido from their app stores over alleged illegal bike taxi operations in Maharashtra. The notices were issued on May 15 by the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Apple and Google were instructed to “remove and disable access” to the applications from the App Store and Play Store. The move came after Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik wrote to the Cyber Department on May 12 seeking action against bike taxi aggregators operating in the state. In the notices, Maharashtra Cyber said the bike taxi services offered through the apps were “unlawful and in violation of the existing legal and regulatory framework”. Authorities alleged that the platforms were running passenger transport services “without obtaining valid permissions, government approvals, or compliance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Transport Department and the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.” The notices also cited concerns related to passenger safety, alleging that driver verification systems, insurance safeguards, women’s safety measures and emergency response mechanisms were “highly inadequate”. “Recently, a serious incident came to light wherein a bike taxi service operated through one of these applications allegedly resulted in the tragic death of a woman. A criminal case has been registered in this regard,” the notices stated. They further claimed that several similar cases had been reported across Maharashtra. The Cyber Department warned Apple and Google that non-compliance with directions issued by Indian law enforcement agencies could attract legal action under the IT Act and intermediary liability rules. Confirming the development to The Indian Express, Sarnaik said the state had initiated the process through Maharashtra Cyber. “We have sent letters through Maharashtra Cyber to Google and Apple regarding these apps. Bike taxis are operating illegally in Maharashtra and action is being taken accordingly,” he said. The latest action marks an escalation in the Maharashtra government’s dispute with app-based bike taxi platforms. In recent weeks, the state transport department has repeatedly maintained that bike taxi services are not legally permitted under the present regulatory framework. The crackdown also comes amid increasing scrutiny of app-based mobility services in Maharashtra. Earlier this week, the transport department announced action against private bus aggregators and unauthorised transport applications over alleged illegal fare practices. While the notices specifically target bike taxi services offered through the apps, cab, auto and food delivery services continue to function. According to Sarnaik, the action against bike taxi aggregators was intended to ensure passenger safety and align with Maharashtra’s Electric Vehicle transport policy aimed at promoting EV usage, the Indian Express reported. The minister said that the state wants bike taxi services to operate only through electric vehicles instead of petrol-powered vehicles. He said the current use of EVs for bike taxi services remains minimal. He said “women’s safety is more important than employment,” while referring to recent complaints involving bike taxi riders, including an alleged misconduct case involving a woman passenger and several police complaints. According to him, the state had allowed electric bike taxis and granted temporary one-month permissions to aggregators to finish formalities. However, he claimed “they have not submitted a single document yet,” and alleged that “thousands of illegal bike taxis” continued to operate, many of them petrol-powered despite the policy permitting only EV bike taxis.