In this notice, both companies have been directly ordered to remove the Ola, Uber, and Rapido apps from their platforms and block public access to them.
Published: May 17, 2026 12:17 PM IST
New Delhi: In a significant development, the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government has taken a strict decision and directed Google and Apple app stores to remove Ola, Uber, and Rapido ride-hailing apps from their platforms. This comes after allegations of illegal bike taxi operations in the state and concerns that passenger safety, especially women’s safety, has been compromised.
It is important to note that the Rapido app was unavailable on Apple’s App Store for a considerable period on Saturday. However, at present, all three apps are available on both the Play Store and the App Store. The Maharashtra government’s stance is clear: apps that violate rules must be shut down. Only then can their illegal operations be completely stopped.
Legal Notice to Google and Apple
The Maharashtra Cyber Department on May 15 issued a legal notice to Google and Apple under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act. In this notice, both companies have been directly ordered to remove the Ola, Uber, and Rapido apps from their platforms and block public access to them. According to reports, the notice also warns that legal action will be taken against the companies if they fail to comply with the order.
What is the reason behind this decision?
As per the Navbharat Times report, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said that these companies are operating passenger transport services without following the rules of the Transport Department and the Motor Vehicles Act, and without any government approval.
According to him, these apps also lack proper driver verification, insurance protection, and emergency response systems. Apart from this, a recent bike taxi accident involving the death of a woman has also come to light. Several cases of misconduct have also been reported separately.
The Transport Minister has made it clear that, for the government, women’s safety is more important than employment. (REF.)
Here are some of the key details:
- The government has clarified that it is not against bike taxis, but in Maharashtra, bike taxis are permitted to operate only as EVs.
- The companies were given one month to submit the required documents, but the government has not received any paperwork so far.
- The Maharashtra transport minister has reportedly directly targeted Rapido, saying that Rapido had introduced bike taxi services and allegedly told its riders that if they were fined during RTO inspections, they should pay the penalty first, and the company would reimburse the amount later.
- He described this as making a mockery of the rules.
Will the major apps be shut down?
The government has stated that the issue is with illegal bike taxi services, but unless action is taken against the main apps, it will be impossible to stop illegal taxis on the roads. According to reports, other services such as cab bookings, auto rides, and food delivery are currently continuing, but the situation could worsen if the apps are banned.
On Saturday, the Rapido app also reportedly disappeared from the Apple App Store for some time.
