Now, private bikes ride into taxi lane

New guidelines let states clear pvt bike aggregation

- ANEES HUSSAIN

The government has for the first time allowed private motorcycles to ply bike taxi services on ride-hailing aggregator platforms across India, with the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) notifying revised Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025.

The new framework gives state governments discretionary authority under subsection (3) of Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act to allow aggregation of motorcycles licensed for personal use also. The move is expected to result in reduced traffic congestion and vehicular pollution, along with providing affordable passenger mobility, hyperlocal delivery, creating livelihood opportunities.

Under Clause 23.3, states "may impose fees on the aggregator for issuance of authorisations permitting "non-transport (private non-commercial) motorcycles" to undertake journeys through such aggregator, on a daily/weekly/fortnightly basis, as may be determined by the state government." However, the fee imposition itself is discretionary, with states having the option but not the obligation to charge such fees.

The provision could potentially legalise bike-taxi services like those offered by Rapido, Ola, and Uber, which have long operated in regulatory grey areas. However, actual implementation depends entirely on individual state government decisions to exercise this new authority.