The Maharashtra authorities on Friday issued draft guidelines for app-based aggregators of public transport automobiles which search to cap surge pricing and reducing of fares, restrict working hours of drivers, and supply for journey insurance coverage, amongst different issues.
The state authorities has invited objections and options from stakeholders on the draft guidelines, that are in keeping with the central pointers, by October 17.
Issued as a part of a authorities decision (GR) titled the “Maharashtra Motor Automobile Aggregator Guidelines, 2025”, the draft framework goals to manage digital aggregators and operators of motor cabs, vacationer cabs, luxurious cabs, contract carriage buses, camper vans and different related public transport automobiles, besides bikes.
Earlier this 12 months, the state had accredited the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Guidelines, 2025, for bike-taxi aggregators.
The draft guidelines will apply to all passenger motorcar aggregators, together with e-rickshaws. Thus, companies akin to Ola, Uber and e-rickshaw operators will fall below this regulatory framework.
As per the draft guidelines, a driver won’t be able to see a passenger’s vacation spot earlier than accepting a journey, and aggregator apps should enable dwell location sharing and journey standing monitoring.
The draft guidelines additionally make accessibility options for differently-abled passengers obligatory.
At present, passengers usually face cancellation of rides when drivers study the vacation spot and are usually not keen to make the journey.
Surge pricing can not exceed 1.5 instances the bottom fare fastened by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) as per the draft guidelines, whereas reducing fares under 25% of the bottom price throughout low demand too is prohibited.
Presently, the state authorities doesn’t have any management over fare surge within the absence of any guidelines.
The draft guidelines additionally prescribe that the comfort payment charged to riders mustn’t exceed 5% of the bottom fare, and the whole deduction shouldn’t be greater than 10%.
Aggregator apps will probably be required to offer passengers with journey insurance coverage protection of as much as Rs 5 lakh, and solely automobiles lower than 9 years outdated (within the case of autos and cabs) or lower than eight years outdated (within the case of buses) will probably be eligible for operations.
The principles additionally specify that aggregator apps have to be out there in Marathi, Hindi and English.
Drivers will probably be allowed to remain logged into an app for a most of 12 hours per day, adopted by a compulsory 10-hour relaxation interval. They have to endure a 30-hour orientation and motivation coaching programme earlier than being onboarded.
Drivers with a mean score under two stars out of 5 should endure corrective coaching and stay suspended from the platform till they achieve this.
Whereas acquiring a brand new licence from the State Transport Authority (STA) or Regional Transport Authority (RTA), aggregators should pay a payment of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively. For renewal, they should pay Rs 25,000 or Rs 5,000.
Moreover, aggregators will probably be required to take care of a safety deposit primarily based on the variety of automobiles they function, Rs 10 lakh for as much as 1,000 automobiles, Rs 25 lakh for as much as 10,000 automobiles, and Rs 50 lakh for greater than 10,000 automobiles.
A senior transport division official informed PTI that the draft guidelines conform to the Motor Automobile Aggregator Pointers, 2025 issued by the Union Ministry of Street Transport and Highways.
In line with a launch from state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik’s workplace, the foundations, proposed below the Motor Autos Act, 1988, are supposed to convey larger self-discipline, transparency and passenger security to app-based transport companies.
“These (draft) guidelines are anticipated to reinforce passengers’ confidence, security and the standard of service within the app-based taxi sector. The introduction of clear working limits and welfare provisions will assist forestall the exploitation of drivers,” Sarnaik mentioned.
