Meals supply and e-commerce platforms comparable to Swiggy, Zomato and Zepto may quickly come beneath Maharashtra’s bike-taxi regulatory framework, The Indian Categorical reported. The state authorities is proposing guidelines that will require the “doorstep-delivery” platforms to keep up electrical automobile (EV) fleets and contribute 2 per cent of the fare from every experience to a driver welfare fund.
The proposed modifications search to amend the Maharashtra Bike-Taxi Guidelines, 2025, which at present apply to ride-hailing aggregators.
The transfer would convey supply service and e-commerce platforms beneath a state-level regulatory framework for the primary time. At current, these companies are ruled primarily by central laws, together with the Client Safety Act, 2019, the Client Safety (E-Commerce) Guidelines, 2020, and the Code on Social Safety, 2020.
What the proposed guidelines say
The amendments proposed by the state transport division outline “supply service suppliers” as entities that personal or function automobile fleets for transporting merchandise, parcels and packages.
This might convey platforms comparable to Swiggy, Blinkit, Zomato and Zepto inside the proposed framework.
If authorized, the platforms may very well be required to function EV-only fleets, allow GPS monitoring of automobiles and drivers, present insurance coverage cowl and adjust to fares prescribed by the Regional Transport Authority. They might additionally must get hold of a novel licence identification quantity.
The proposed guidelines would additionally require platforms to contribute 2 per cent of the fare for every experience to a driver welfare fund. The fund is proposed to help pension advantages, accident insurance coverage, loans for buying EVs and training help for drivers’ youngsters.
Proposal beneath authorized scrutiny
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed that the division had proposed the modifications. He stated automobiles working on journeys of lower than 15 km can be lined beneath the coverage, with EV and different compliance necessities making use of to the related aggregators if the amendments are authorized.
The proposal has been despatched to the state Regulation and Judiciary division for scrutiny.
The transfer follows Sarnaik’s announcement within the state Legislative Meeting final month that bike-taxi drivers can be required to have domicile certificates and government-issued public service automobile badges. The federal government has stated the modifications are geared toward creating employment alternatives for native youth.
Transport division officers stated the proposed amendments would additionally permit the state to manage supply and e-commerce platforms that at present function with out coming beneath the bike-taxi framework.
“Whereas such platforms already do enterprise within the state, they don’t fall inside the purview of motorcycle taxi norms,” a transport official stated, including that this made it troublesome for the state to observe their operations and maintain them accountable within the occasion of disputes or passenger grievances.
Actual-time monitoring
The proposed framework additionally attracts on the Maharashtra Motor Automobile Aggregator Guidelines, 2026, which offer for a devoted portal developed by the State Transport Commissioner to observe automobiles working on bike-taxi platforms in actual time.
If prolonged to supply providers, such a system may give the state higher visibility over automobiles and drivers working for app-based supply platforms.
How different states regulate supply fleets
Maharashtra wouldn’t be the primary state to introduce guidelines overlaying the electrification of supply and ride-aggregator fleets.
The Delhi Motor Automobile Aggregator and Supply Service Supplier Scheme, 2023, gives for phased electrification of such fleets. Haryana has additionally launched provisions for gradual electrification of supply and ride-aggregator automobiles beneath the Haryana Motor Automobiles (Modification) Guidelines, 2026.
Nonetheless, these frameworks don’t prescribe a welfare-fund contribution much like the two per cent levy proposed by Maharashtra. Employee protections in these states are in any other case linked to broader labour rules relevant to gig and platform employees.
