The Odisha Police Crime Branch has initiated strict action against the unauthorised operation of private two-wheelers as commercial bike taxis on ride-hailing platforms, including Uber and Rapido.
According to an official communication (Letter No. 1138/CID-Social Media) sent by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Crime Branch to the Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the State Transport Authority (STA) in Cuttack, the agency has formally issued notices to the Nodal Officers of M/s Uber India Systems Private Limited and Rapido. The directive instructs the platforms to immediately disable the unauthorised non-transport two-wheeler passenger transport functionality on their mobile applications within Odisha.
The crackdown follows a formal request from the State Transport Authority (dated October 28, 2026) and special enforcement reports submitted by the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) of Cuttack, Bhubaneswar-I, and Bhubaneswar-II. These field reports flagged the widespread commercial use of privately registered (“non-transport” or white-plate) motorcycles and scooters to ferry paying passengers.
Authorities noted that operating private two-wheelers through aggregator apps directly violates the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, as well as the Odisha On-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Guidelines, 2023. Under existing laws, vehicles registered strictly for personal use cannot be deployed for commercial passenger transport without valid commercial permits and safety compliance.
To ensure strict adherence, the Crime Branch has directed the aggregators to remove the two-wheeler booking option and implement geo-fencing measures across Odisha’s boundaries within a 15-day window, warning of legal consequences for non-compliance. Officials clarified that the restriction applies solely to unauthorised bike taxis; car cabs and auto-rickshaw services offered by Uber and Rapido will continue to operate uninterrupted for commuters across the state.
