Maharashtra orders strict police verification of Ola, Uber, Rapido drivers
Published
2 min read 2 views
Mumbai, Oct 28 : Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has ordered an immediate statewide crackdown and stringent police background verification of drivers operating through app-based ride-hailing platforms, including Ola, Uber and Rapido, following a recent Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) action against a bike taxi driver in Mumbai's Mahim area.
Chairing a high-level meeting with senior Motor Transport Department officials, Sarnaik directed authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against drivers found violating licensing norms, failing document verification or engaging in unlawful activities.
The minister also said the state government was actively considering amendments to existing transport laws to bring app-based aggregators under a stricter regulatory framework.
The move follows an ATS investigation involving a Rapido driver from Mahim who was accused of circulating objectionable content on social media. Although the initial police investigation has found no direct operational links between the suspect and terror modules or Pakistani organisations, the incident has raised concerns over driver onboarding procedures, credential screening and passenger safety measures adopted by digital aggregators.
Transport authorities have been instructed to thoroughly verify driving licences, identity documents, vehicle permits and criminal records of all drivers registered with app-based platforms.
The Motor Transport Department has also been directed to establish a continuous monitoring mechanism to audit aggregator platforms and ensure compliance with existing regulations.
Sarnaik said that if the current provisions of transport laws were inadequate to regulate the rapidly expanding digital mobility sector, the government would formulate a revised legal framework.
The proposed reforms aim to bring app-based aggregators and their gig workers firmly under the statutory jurisdiction of the State Transport Authority (STA), strengthening regulatory oversight and passenger safety.
