You May Have To Say Goodbye To Ride-Pooling By Ola, Uber And Others In Maharashtra. Here’s Why!

I am sure many of you must have used the ride-pooling services offered on various applications like Ola, Uber, and others. For people who don’t know, ride-pooling means sharing a vehicle with someone who is also going in the same direction. This helps reduce transportation costs, traffic and pollution. However, due to a government ban, people in Maharashtra may no longer be able to use this service. Here’s Why.

No More Ride-Pooling By Ola, Uber And Others

In response to mounting concerns about passenger safety, the Maharashtra government has outlawed the use of non-transport cars for ride-pooling and aggregation. Non-transport vehicles are all those vehicles that cannot be used for any sort of commercial purpose. These vehicles are private and have a white number plate. All the vehicles that are used for commercial purposes have yellow licence plates.

The decision about non-transport vehicles, including two, three, and four-wheelers, was taken with the safety of the public and passengers in mind. The government has voiced concerns over the use of non-transport vehicles registered outside of Maharashtra, which could have an impact on the state’s legal cars’ capacity to operate and generate an income.

Also Read: Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Is Set To Make A Comeback Post Lockdown. Here’s What You Can Expect!

Companies Will Be Facing Some Restrictions

The ride-share options offered by Ola, Uber, and others will be facing some restrictions. According to a government circular, Ola and Uber have already removed the bike-sharing service from their applications. The government has made it clear that non-transport vehicles will be given the green light only after detailed consideration of guidelines, frameworks, and rules.

This decision came after the Bombay High Court issued a cease-and-desist order to Rapido in Maharashtra. The notice ordered it to immediately cease operations for operating without a license. For now, the services are suspended in the state. It was brought to the government’s attention that bike taxis operated by Rapido were operating within the state without proper licenses.