The founders of the Rapido app have been booked in Nagpur for allegedly operating petrol-powered bike taxi services in Maharashtra without the necessary government permissions. A case was registered following a complaint from the Nagpur RTO after a special drive revealed private vehicles were being used commercially without proper licenses, raising concerns about passenger safety and revenue loss for the government.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik faces criticism after Rapido, the bike taxi aggregator he exposed for illegal operations, became the lead sponsor for a 'Dahi Handi' event organized by his family.
Gurugram police have arrested four individuals for allegedly kidnapping, assaulting, and forcibly transferring money from a 22-year-old man after contacting him through the Grindr app.
Eternal, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit, reported a nearly fourfold increase in net profit to 92 crore for Q1FY27, primarily due to operational gains and the strong performance of its quick commerce business, Blinkit.
Maharashtra BJP MLC Pravin Darekar announced the launch of 'Devabhau' and 'Chhava' cooperative taxi services in Mumbai, aiming to counter private aggregators and benefit drivers directly, but the scheme has drawn sharp criticism from social activist Anjali Damania and the Opposition Congress over the proposed use of Mumbai Bank funds and its political branding.
The union alleges financial hardship due to the state government's authorization of panic button device providers.
Addressing an event after launching the service, Shah said the rival ride-hailing platforms have reduced commission and are offering many other incentives, including free rides to customers, seeing the success of Bharat Taxi during the pilot operation.
The Bharat Taxi platform is already positioning itself as the world's largest driver-owned mobility network, with more than 51,000 drivers across cars, autos, and bikes registered in New Delhi and Saurashtra, Gujarat.
There's a hint of new competition riding into a sector that has attracted attention for being in a duopoly-like situation. Rapido, a commute app known for its budget-friendly bike-taxi services, on Tuesday announced its entry into the cab market, which is currently dominated by marquee brands Uber and Ola. Rapido's cab foray will be enabled by a software as a service (SaaS)-based platform.
A 48-year-old cab driver has been arrested in Delhi for allegedly masturbating in front of a young woman during a ride. The woman reported the incident to the police, leading to the driver's arrest and vehicle seizure.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a money-laundering case involving over Rs 331 crore deposited in a bank account linked to an illegal betting app. A bike-taxi driver was found to be unknowingly used as a 'mule' to funnel the illicit funds.
Bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service.
Prosus, the Amsterdam-based technology investor with net assets valued at over $200 billion spanning payments to e-commerce, has identified India as one of its most critical growth markets, and is increasing its strategic investments here.
Zomato is at 5, Swiggy at 9, Blinkit at 10.
GSM, which is potentially eyeing a Hong Kong listing and was recently valued at $20 billion, operates on a distinct model -- it owns the e-taxis and employs the drivers, while also supplying cars to independent drivers or fleet operators.
While mobility aggregators such as Rapido and Uber have welcomed the decision, gig workers associations and unions remain concerned.
Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy confirmed the development, stating that the companies must abide by the court's decision.
'We serve more than 1.2 billion trips annually and have over 1.5 million active earners each month using the platform.'
The government on Wednesday asked e-commerce platforms to conduct annual internal audits to make sure that they are not resorting to manipulative tactics to mislead consumers and prevent them from making right choices -- a technique commonly referred to as dark pattern -- and submit reports to the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA). It comes just a week after Uber was issued a notice by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) over its "advance tip" feature.
Rising inflation and stagnant wages are forcing a number of salaried professionals to venture into the bike taxi service as part-time riders.
Kunal Shah has funded over 266 startups including Razorpay, Snapdeal, Zetwork, BlueSmart, Unacademy, Bliss Club, and Spinny, amongst others.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed Uber to apply for a licence within three weeks to operate in Maharashtra, stressing that cab aggregators cannot function without one. A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud said that an earlier interim order by the Supreme Court that had allowed Uber to operate in the state would not provide legal cover, since an aggregator cannot operate without a licence. It ordered Uber to apply for a licence by March 6, said a report by Bar and Bench.
Both Uber and Rapido have an SOS button installed in the app which are monitored by their teams
CCPA said the primary issues raised in the notices included 'deficiency in service'. This includes lack of proper response from customer support, driver refusing to take payment by online mode and insisting for cash only.
Uber Technologies said it is doing a fresh round of recruitment for its India tech centres and is planning to hire 500 more tech employees by December. The app-based mobility and delivery company has a 1,000-member tech team across its centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The firm said the hiring plan is a testament to Uber's commitment to India, and its recognition of the engineering talent in the country. Uber hired 250 engineers to its India teams in 2021.
A draft policy will be issued for public consultation in the coming weeks.
