Maharashtra’s transport department has proposed amendments to the Maharashtra Bike-Taxi Rules, 2025, that could bring major food delivery and quick-commerce platforms under a state transport framework for the first time.
The proposed rules would cover platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit and Zepto, requiring them to shift to electric fleets and contribute to a dedicated driver welfare fund.
🚴 EV-Only Fleets for Delivery Platforms
Under the proposed framework, all bikes operating for trips below 15 km would come under the policy. Covered delivery service providers would be required to:
- Operate electric vehicle-only fleets
- Enable GPS tracking for vehicles and drivers
- Provide insurance coverage
- Follow fares determined by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA)
- Obtain a unique licence identification number
- Contribute 2% of the fare per ride to a driver welfare fund
The welfare fund could support pensions, accident insurance, EV loans and children’s education for delivery workers.
💰 2% Levy Raises Key Questions
The proposed levy could become a major regulatory issue because delivery and quick-commerce orders do not have a conventional “fare” like bike-taxi rides.
It remains unclear whether the 2% levy would apply to the delivery partner’s payout, order value or distance travelled. Unlike Karnataka’s 1% transaction-based levy, Maharashtra’s proposal currently has no stated cap.
⚖️ Legal and Enforcement Challenges
The proposal could also face legal scrutiny over the division of powers between state and central laws. A similar dispute is already being examined in Karnataka, where platforms have challenged a state welfare levy citing the Code on Social Security, 2020.
Maharashtra’s previous bike-taxi framework has also faced enforcement difficulties, with provisional licences for Ola, Uber and Rapido revoked in March 2026.
⚡ Maharashtra Takes a Broader EV Push
If implemented, Maharashtra’s proposal would combine EV adoption, platform regulation and gig-worker welfare under one framework. However, questions around the levy’s calculation, fleet definition and legal validity will need to be resolved before the rules take effect.
