Pune Police Request Removal of Rapido App Over Licensing Disputes
Pune authorities have asked Google and Apple to delist the Rapido app, citing unauthorized bike taxi operations and pending regulatory permits.
Pune police officials have officially requested that Google and Apple remove the Rapido application from their respective app stores. The request follows an ongoing dispute regarding the company's bike taxi services, which authorities claim are operating without the mandatory licenses required in the region.
The enforcement action stems from an FIR filed against the company’s parent entity, Roppen Transportation Services, after a local transport office inspection confirmed the platform was facilitating paid rides using vehicles registered as non-transport units. Pune Regional Transport Authority (RTA) officials noted that while Rapido has filed for an aggregator license, the application remains pending, rendering current operations illegal.
Beyond licensing concerns, local authorities have raised questions regarding passenger safety and driver background verification processes. The situation reflects broader regulatory tensions in Maharashtra, where legal battles over ride-pooling and aggregator models have persisted since 2022.
This move aligns with a wider crackdown by the Pune district administration on cab and bike aggregators to enforce fare transparency and regulatory compliance. Until the company secures the necessary permits, police maintain that the platform must cease its bike taxi operations within the district.