Pune’s autorickshaw and cab unions have announced protests on October 28 and November 2 against Rapido’s bike-taxi operations, escalating pressure on the regional transport authorities after an FIR was registered against the company and officials sought the removal of its service from app platforms.
Rickshaw Panchayat, described in the report as Pune’s largest autorickshaw union, will hold a protest on October 28. Baghtoy Rikshawala and the Indian Gig Workers’ Front have called a separate demonstration outside the Pune collectorate on November 2. Union leaders said the agitation would intensify if Rapido’s bike-taxi option continued to remain available on its app.
The protests follow a meeting between union representatives and Regional Transport Office officials. Keshav Kshirsagar, president of Baghtoy Rikshawala and the Indian Gig Workers’ Front, said the unions did not receive proper answers from officials. He said a large number of autorickshaw drivers and cab operators from Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad were expected to participate in the November 2 protest, which could affect commuter services.
“We met RTO officials on Monday, but did not get proper answers,” Kshirsagar said, according to the report. “A large number of autorickshaw drivers and cab operators from Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad will participate in the Nov 2 protest, likely impacting commuter services.”
Shafiq Patel, president of Azad Rickshaw Chalak Sanghatna, said officials had claimed that all possible action had been taken, but bike taxis continued to operate. “If the service remains active, we will escalate our agitation,” Patel said.
The dispute has widened following regulatory action against Rapido. Earlier this month, the regional transport authority warned of strict action if the company continued operating without the required permissions. Pune RTO subsequently registered an FIR against Rapido on October 26.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said requests had been sent to Google and Apple seeking the removal of the bike-taxi service from their app platforms. The move places the dispute beyond enforcement on roads and into the digital systems through which commuters access transport services.
Pune regional transport officer Archana Gaikwad urged citizens not to use Rapido’s bike-taxi service and cautioned two-wheeler owners against registering their vehicles on the platform. She reiterated that the company did not have the aggregator licence required to operate bike taxis in Pune district.
The regional transport authority has directed Rapido to suspend operations until it obtains the necessary licence. It has also warned that riders found operating bike taxis illegally could face action under the Motor Vehicles Act. The announced protests and the authority’s suspension direction are the next developments in the dispute over how app-based bike-taxi services can operate within Pune’s regulated urban transport system.
