No option for states to reject bike taxi norms: Rapido cofounder

Rapido — one of the largest players in the bike taxi commute business — says the new guidelines released by the central government on July 1, permitting "non-transport motorcycles" for aggregators, no longer give states the option of rejecting the revised policy.

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

Says Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder of Rapido: "The guidelines permit states to have an additive policy but not the option to accept or reject the guidelines." He adds that Rapido has always operated bike taxis with the understanding that there is already a provision in the Central Motor Vehicles Act for bikes to function as transport vehicles.

"The second clarification by the Centre reinforces this. They've now clarified that white plate motorcycles can also be used to support commute services."