Minister Exposes False Report on Bike Taxis, Raises Questions on Transport Policies

In a dramatic incident that has sparked political and administrative controversy, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik personally apprehended a Rapido bike taxi rider operating illegally in Mumbai. The minister, acting on his own initiative, booked a ride from Shaheed Babu Genu Chowk using a false name and waited just ten minutes before the rider arrived — directly contradicting the Transport Department's earlier claim that such services were not operational in the city.

Upon arrival of the Rapido bike, Sarnaik reportedly slapped the rider, rebuked him for violating the law, and exposed the misleading report submitted by his own department. However, in a display of personal fairness, the minister paid the full fare for the ride despite the confrontation.

This bold move by Sarnaik has unsettled illegal bike taxi operators and revealed a major communication failure within the state administration. The Transport Department had earlier informed the minister that no app-based bike taxi services were currently functioning in Mumbai or its suburbs — a statement now proven false by Sarnaik's own sting operation.

Under Maharashtra's recently announced e-bike taxi policy, only organizations that use electric bikes and comply with specific regulatory conditions are permitted to operate. However, no app-based service, including Rapido, has received official government clearance for such operations. Despite this, multiple bike taxis have been found operating in defiance of the new policy.

After the incident, Sarnaik stated, "Filing a case against a poor individual like you won’t solve the issue. But those powerful entities hiding behind you — they will face consequences. That is our goal."

Following the confrontation, State Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar has filed an official case against Rapido for unauthorized operations. The spotlight now turns to whether any disciplinary action will be taken against the transport officials who allegedly misled the minister.

This incident has raised serious questions about enforcement of state transport policies and the credibility of departmental briefings given to ministers. It has also drawn public attention to the widespread use of unlicensed bike taxis in Mumbai despite policy restrictions.